


A Stranger in Town

by Orithain, Rina9294



Series: Original shifter series [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, Sex in shifted form(s), Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-09-06 07:00:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8739331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orithain/pseuds/Orithain, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rina9294/pseuds/Rina9294
Summary: A stranger passing through Cougar Falls catches the attention of both San Gabriel twins, but he has his own ideas of which he wants.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted April 2003.

Pulling to a stop at a red light, Joseph San Gabriel tilted his head and looked at his twin sister, Eva, over the rims of his sunglasses. "Real reason, Evie, or no go."

She sighed and ran a hand through her wheat-blonde hair. "Fine, fine. Jenny said there’s a new bartender there who is to die for. I just want to see if he lives up to his billing."

He chuckled at that. "And then you’ll give him a friendly welcome to Cougar Falls, right?"

"Well," she smiled brightly, "I don’t want him thinking we aren’t hospitable."

The light turned to green, and Joe shifted the truck into first, picking up only a little speed before he turned right into the mostly empty parking lot. "And are you going to be hospitable if he’s gap-toothed and cross-eyed?"

"Well..." Eva waited until Joe parked, then climbed down out of the truck. "If he has a good body, I might be." Laughing aloud, Joe followed his sister up to the door, pulling it open and holding it for her, then following her inside. He took his fogging sunglasses off and slid them in his shirt pocket, blinking until his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. Eva was already sitting at the bar, and he headed that way, knowing he’d better keep an eye on her.

Seeing the door open—it was hard to miss the sudden illumination from the afternoon’s bright sunlight reflecting off the snow—Sam Tallfeather laid aside the cloth he’d been using to wipe the top of the bar and moved toward the pretty young woman who’d just sat down, noticing a man coming up behind her.

"Hi there, what can I get you folks?" he greeted cheerfully. Pity the guy was clearly a protective brother, he wouldn’t have minded getting to know either of them better.

"A Bud and a Corona," Joe answered, sliding onto the stool next to Eva and avoiding looking at her because he knew what he’d see; the guy _was_ to die for, as Jenny had put it, and she’d be lapping it up.

"Haven’t seen you around here before." Eva leaned in, smiling. "I’m Eva, and this is my brother Joe."

"Just got into town last week, so I’m not surprised. I’m Sam. Pleased to meet you." He offered her his hand. "Nice place. I think I’ll stick around for a while." He glanced at the brother, nearly groaning aloud. God, Eva was hot, but Joe... He flicked a glance at the top of the bar to make sure he wasn’t actually drooling.

Somewhat surprised that Sam’s gaze hadn’t stayed glued to Eva—or as was more often the case with new men, her chest—Joe extended his hand as well. "Glad you like it. Most people who come through take one look at the size and run for Missoula."

"So, where are you staying, Sam?" Eva asked curiously.

"Jack lets me pitch a tent out back and use the shower in his office," Sam replied, referring to the bar’s owner. "Plenty of room back there under the trees. It’s nice. And this way I don’t have to worry about being late for work," he chuckled.

"You might have to worry about the snow though," Joe commented with a small chuckle.

Sam shrugged. "It’s insulated and my sleeping bag’s good for arctic temperatures. Besides, I doubt I’ll be here long enough for it to really matter. My mom used to say that I had itchy feet. A few weeks in one place and I’m wanting to know what’s over the horizon. It keeps life interesting."

"Well, I hope we can make your stay enjoyable while you’re here," Eva purred, eyeing Sam boldly.

Joe bit his lip and took a drink of his beer to keep from laughing. "Funny, I’ve found what’s over the horizon is just more horizon. Wandering’s good, but having somewhere to come back to when you’re ready is better."

"Different strokes," Sam shrugged. "Never found anything that would make me want to stay in one place, and I’ve been rolling for about ten years now. I swing by and see my folks from time to time, but they’re the rooted kind." He smiled at Eva but didn’t make the next move, still hoping that her brother might step up to the plate.

His shoulders shaking as he tried to contain himself at Sam’s adept brush off of his sister’s offer, Joe cleared his throat so that he could get hold of himself. "Know what you mean, our younger brother was always traveling, then he met a guy in England of all places, and they ended up back here.

"And if you’re the outdoor type, I’d be glad to show you some of the good spots around. Lots of good trails and spots for camping out there."

Sam smiled slowly. "Sounds good. A local always knows the best places to enjoy. And I do like getting back to nature."

Eva sighed. "Doesn’t it figure? I come in here hoping to land the new guy, and look who manages it."

Joe chuckled and shrugged. "What can I say?"

Sam grinned. "I’m sure you don’t have any trouble landing guys, Eva. Another time... Well, let’s just say you and your brother are tough to choose between."

Somewhat mollified, she sipped at her beer. "Okay, you can keep him, Joey."

"Somehow I don’t think Sam is the type to be kept, little sister. Not that it might not be fun to try."

"Why do I suddenly feel like a stray dog?" Sam asked wryly. "But please, feel free to try. I’m all in favor of new experiences." He smiled sensually at Joe, licking his lips.

"Dogs, ugh," the twins said in concert before laughing at the expression on Sam’s face.

"Hope you don’t mind," Joe grinned. "Our family isn’t into them. We’re more cat people ourselves. As for new experiences, I’m thinking you’ll find Cougar Falls full of them."

"Good thing I’m more of a cat person myself. Especially since dogs don’t seem to like me very much." Sam looked amused. "It’s fortunate that I never wanted to be a cat burglar, the way dogs bark at me." His eyes returned to Joe’s. "And I’m looking forward to all kinds of new experiences."

Eva sighed. "You owe me so big for this one," she muttered, kicking Joe’s leg, cursing when her foot hit the thick leather of his boot.

"I saved your life, remember? You still owe me,’ he answered blithely, not looking away from Sam. "So how much does Jack have you working?"

"A regular work week... and my shift for today is over in half an hour. I got days today. Think you can come up with something to show me in that length of time?" Sam invited, his gaze heating.

"Think you can drop me at home before you do it?" Eva laughed.

"I’m inventive; I’ll manage something," Joe promised, finishing his beer and setting the empty bottle on the bar next to the money to pay for the drinks. "Want to meet somewhere or trust me to drive?"

Sam’s eyes ran over him. "Oh, I think I can trust you to drive. You seem... experienced at taking control." He smiled sensually. "It ought to be fun."

Before Eva could put in her two cents, Joe grabbed her by the arm and dragged her off the stool and toward the door. "Guess you’ll find out soon. I’ll be back in forty-five or so, once I get Miss Thing here home."

*** 

His shift over, Sam sprawled in one of the booths, munching on peanuts and wishing he’d thought to ask Joe if eating was going to be part of the event. It had been a while since lunch, but if they were going to have dinner, he didn’t want to eat much now. Seeing the door open, he looked up, smiling when he met the other man’s blue gaze.

"Hey, don’t ruin your appetite," Joe laughed, leaning over the back of the booth and looking down at the bartender. He couldn’t help but run an appreciative gaze over the whole length of his body, finding he definitely liked what he saw.

"Wasn’t sure if you were planning to feed me or not," Sam retorted, pushing the bowl away as he grinned up. "And my other appetite takes a lot more than peanuts to satisfy."

Moving around to the end of the booth, Joe held out a hand to help the other man up. "Steak first, other appetites later, unless you’re a New Age vegetarian? Please, God, tell me you aren’t a New Age vegetarian!"

Sam shuddered. "Yuck! I like my steak so rare that it might moo at me and plenty of it. I’m definitely a carnivore." Taking Joe’s hand, he allowed him to draw him up, ending up nearly pressed against him. His fingers tightened on the hand he still held, and his eyes darkened.

The blond grinned and stroked his fingers over Sam’s palm as he let go of his hand. "We’ll get along just fine then; carnivores are my favorite people." Chuckling, he stepped back to give the other man some breathing room. "Truck’s outside. I figured we could hit the Baron for something to eat, and then I’ll show you some of my favorite haunts."

"Truck?" Sam groaned. "You sure you wouldn’t rather take my bike?" He followed Joe outside, inspecting the truck as he neared, relieved to see that it wasn’t too bad.

"God, you and Rowan would get along well." Joe hit the remote button to unlock the doors on the grey, late model Ford 250. "Sometimes he acts like he’s been plopped down in the middle of a Western. And I live on a ranch; a convertible doesn’t really fit the image, you know?"

"So I guess I’m going to have a hard time getting you on my Harley?" Sam chuckled, sliding into the truck. "But just imagine all that power between your legs," he purred suggestively once Joe got in as well.

"You definitely need to meet Rowan," Joe sighed, starting the engine and pulling out of the lot. "So you’ve got a lot of power for me to try, eh?"

"Oh yeah!" Sam smirked at him, pushing his hair back over his shoulder when he almost caught it in the seatbelt. "Think you can keep up?"

Raising a hand, Joe caught a lock of Sam’s long, dark hair in his fingers, tugging at it. "One thing you’ll find out about my family, Sam, is that we have a lot of endurance."

"Oh good. Just what I like in a man. Good thing we’re planning to eat first." He grinned again, sprawled comfortably in his seat.

"Hey, you have to have your priorities straight, right?" Joe turned off the side street onto the county road and gave the truck a bit more gas. "So what do you do other than bar tending and getting hit on by locals?"

"Whatever buys the groceries and gas," Sam shrugged. "I usually get a job tending bar, as a dealer or a mechanic, but I’ve flipped burgers a time or two as well. I meet people and see the sights."

"Does it ever get lonely?"

"Sometimes. But not as lonely as it was always being the outsider in my own home. Don’t get me wrong, my folks loved me and all, but I never fit in. I must be more like my biological father than my mom would like to admit. And there are a lot of friendly people out there who help remind me that I enjoy my life. Like you."

Sensing that Sam didn’t want his sympathy, Joe gave an easy smile. "Glad to be of service. Enjoying life’s what makes it worth living I always say."

"Words to live by." Sam looked around. "Where is this place that you’re taking me, anyhow? I’m not about to become the latest victim of a deranged serial killer, am I?"

"Nah, I’m just a vicious shapeshifter looking to jump your bones," Joe laughed. "Barons is about five more miles ahead. In case you haven’t noticed, other than the stuff in town, nothing’s close out here."

"Shapeshifter? Yeah, right," Sam chuckled. "Been watching too much _Outer Limits_ , have you?"

"I prefer _The X-Files_ myself - or did before they ruined it anyway. And hey, at least you didn’t shoot down my wanting to jump your bones."

"Hell no! I’d be _very_ disappointed if you didn’t. Of course, I’d just have to jump you then, so all would not be lost. But it’s helpful if we’re both on the same page. So the plan is a lot of rare meat followed by a lot of hot sex, right?"

Joe gave a shout of laughter and agreement. "Damn right! I knew you were a man after my own heart, Sam. Follow my lead, and they’ll treat you right in Barons, then I’ll treat you right back at my place."

"Mmm, I’m gonna hold you to that," Sam purred, one hand landing on Joe’s thigh. "I can hardly wait." He licked his lips sensually, looking forward to the evening. His partners usually had a hard time keeping up with him, but he had a feeling that wasn’t going to be a problem with Joe.

Joe reminded himself that pulling over and just jumping Sam then and there was a bad thing, if only because they’d be starving soon. "Me either, good thing we want our beef rare; we’ll get it quicker." He nodded to the glare of lights visible up ahead. "And there’s Barons."

"Oh good. Much as I was enjoying the build up, I’m starving!" Sam took his hand back, reminding himself that having an appetizer in the truck would only get them arrested.

"Especially since my brother’s the sheriff," Joe murmured. "Rob would love nothing more than to have a laugh at my expense by locking us up for the night - in different cells!"

"Oops, I said that out loud, huh?" Sam chuckled. "And may I say that your brother is a sadist? With that threat, I’ll be good!" He eyed the restaurant with interest. "Looks good."

"Just have really good hearing is all," Joe said, covering for the fact that he really shouldn’t have heard what Sam whispered under his breath. "Looks good, tastes better. Simple food and lots of it, of course, they run when they see all of us come in at once." He found a parking space and pulled the truck into it, turning off the engine and climbing out to walk over to Sam’s side.

"I take it there’s more than just you and your sister then?" Sam asked, curious about the man who was about to become his lover. He walked easily at Joe’s side, their strides meshing despite the two-inch difference in their heights.

"Five of us kids. Rob - the sheriff - is the oldest, then myself and Eva, then Lucas - the one with the wacky Brit, then Mari, she’s ten, but don’t tell her that."

"Don’t tell her that? Why, does she think she’s older?" Sam laughed, trying to imagine a family as close as Joe seemed to be to his siblings. He’d always felt like the cuckoo in the nest.

Pulling the door open and waiting until Sam walked in ahead of him, Joe laughed. "I think it’s a female thing, that and being the baby. I’m not really sure... Hey, Billy."

"Hi, Joe. Just two tonight?"

"Yeah, you’ll actually have food left for other people." He grinned and nodded toward his companion. "This is Sam. He’s working at Jack’s place, so treat him nice if you don’t want a watered-down drink!"

"As if I would! That’s a shooting offense!" Sam laughed as Billy led them to their table. Once they were seated, he tilted his head, eyeing the other man. "So what about you? What do you do? We seem to keep talking about me."

Joe leaned forward, putting his elbows on the sturdy, wooden table, and rested his chin on his hands. "I’m the consummate computer geek. Can do just about anything with them, make them do anything, and make them tell me their deepest secrets."

"So in other words, I have no secrets from you?" Sam ordered a beer when the waitress came to the table, then picked up his menu to see what he wanted with his steak. "Sounds like I’d better be good."

Nodding when the waitress asked if he wanted his usual, Joe waited until she’d headed off to get their drinks to answer. "I dunno, sometimes being bad is more fun and more enjoyable. If you’ve robbed any banks or were a famous mobster, better let me know now, or I’ll really start digging."

"’Fraid not. I lead a pretty boring life, all told. Not so much as an unpaid parking ticket. Dig away. You won’t find much to interest you. Though if you happen to find anything that tells you who my father is, I’d be interested in knowing."

"That might be a problem. Your mother didn’t tell you anything about him? With a name I might be able to get you something, but otherwise..." He shrugged. "Even my genius has its bounds."

"Not a thing. Even my birth certificate says ‘father unknown’. She’d never say why she refused to talk about him either. I mean, I know he wasn’t one of our people, but that’s no reason for the big secret." Sam shrugged. "Obviously there was something unusual about him, but damned if I can imagine what. Maybe _he_ was a famous mobster."

"Weird," Joe nodded, "but obviously she had some reason for doing that. We’ll just say it adds to your air of mystery. Riding into town on your bike, sweeping the local girls and boys off their feet..."

Sam snorted. "Yeah, right. Clearly you’re more than a little nuts. But you’re cute, so I’ll let it go."

"Gee, thanks." The waitress returned, looking at them expectantly. "Want to guess, Brenda?" Joe asked, giving her an easy grin.

"Rare sirloin, baked with everything, salad with Russian, right?"

"Exactly."

"And I’ll have the same, except skip the salad and add whatever vegetables you have," Sam said easily. "Oh, and onion rings. They’re my weakness."

Once the waitress walked away, he grinned at Joe. "And you’d better have some too. Onions and garlic should always be shared."

"Strong tastes never bothered me. In fact, I love ‘em." After saying this, Joe picked up his bottle of beer and took a long swallow, his eyes locked with Sam’s the whole time.

"And like to swallow too, I see. This just keeps getting better." Stretching his legs out under the table, Sam rubbed his calf against Joe’s while he took a swallow of beer too.

Pressing his leg against Sam’s, Joe watched the other man’s throat work, sighing in appreciation. "Well, only when I know the beer really well." He grinned briefly at that. "Otherwise, I improvise."

Sam made a face but nodded. "Sad but true. I mean, _I_ know I’m clean, but you have no way of knowing that’s the truth and vice versa. But there are lots of other ways to have fun."

"Most definitely." Joe raised his bottle and tapped it against Sam’s. "Here’s to other ways to have fun."

"I’ll drink to that," Sam replied with a sultry smile, drinking down his beer in long swallows. "This is going to be a _very_ good night."

***

"Well," Joe asked, pushing his empty plate away and leaning back in his chair, "was it as good as I promised?"

"Even better. I think I’m in love. Do you know if the cook is married?"

"Yes, and happily, I’m afraid. Sorry, you’re stuck with me for the night."

"Damn. I guess you’ll just have to impress me as much with dessert as I have been with the main course." One appetite sated, Sam found himself eager to do the same for the other, his eyes heavy-lidded as he watched the other man.

"Hey, I’m a damn good cook too, if I say so myself, and this type of dessert is my specialty." Joe looked up, caught the waitress’ eye, and nodded that he wanted the check.

"I’m looking forward to sampling it for myself. I’ll be sure to let you know what I think." He glanced over as Joe looked at the bill. "So what’s my share?"

"My treat." Joe placed some bills in the leather folder and closed it. "Call it a welcome to Cougar Falls meal."

Startled, Sam tried to remember the last time someone had bought him dinner and couldn’t. It looked like this was going to be a memorable night in more ways than one. "Thanks. I’ll be sure to express my appreciation more fully once we’re somewhere more private."

As he stood, Joe shoved his wallet back into his pocket. "Hey, not that I mind that idea at all, but nothing’s owed for this. In fact, I enjoyed the company a hell of a lot."

"Me too, which is why there’ll be more. I didn’t mean that I thought you expected it... Oh hell, never mind. Let’s just get out of here. Actions are a lot easier than words."

"Sounds good to me." Waving a farewell to Billy, Joe led the way out of the restaurant and out to the truck. "And with that in mind..." He caught Sam in his arms, pinned him up against the side of the truck and kissed him, tasting beer and onions and the heady taste of meat before he delved deeper and found Sam’s unique flavor.

After so long a build up, Sam found that the kiss more than lived up to his expectations. Groaning hungrily, he wound his arms around Joe, pulling him closer, and he sucked on the tongue exploring his mouth.

"Mmmm, you’re making me regret that it’s too damn cold to make out in the back of the truck like a pair of teenagers," Joe purred, leaning into Sam and feeling the other man’s arousal grind against his thigh. "Better in a bed though, I just have to keep remembering that."

"Please tell me you leave nearby? Otherwise I think I may drag you into the trees!"

"Twenty minutes." Joe nipped at Sam’s ear and licked the small mark. "I think we can hold out that long, especially since we won’t have to move afterward."

"I’m suddenly rethinking my policy on safety and giving blowjobs in moving vehicles," Sam muttered, head falling to one side to give Joe better access.

"After reading _The World According to Garp_ , I have a profound fear of them," Joe murmured, tracing the line of Sam’s neck with teeth and tongue.

"Well, I wouldn’t want to be responsible for traumatizing you or anything, so I’ll restrain myself... though if you keep doing that, I may come before we ever get out of the parking lot!"

Pulling back with a regretful sigh, Joe slid his hands across Sam’s chest, then off him entirely. "When that happens, I’d rather see it. Get in the car, Sam. I have a serious need to get home."

Sam nodded emphatically, moving carefully as he got into the truck with the most painful hard-on in recent memory. "Speed would be good, Joe," he muttered, head falling back against the head rest and his eyes closing.

"Not crashing would be good too," the blond ground out, taking a deep breath, then cursing quietly when all that did was fill his nostrils with the scent of arousal. Glancing quickly behind them, he spun the tires getting the truck out of the parking spot and floored it out onto the road.

"Okay, as much speed as possible without killing us. I may heal faster than normal, but I don’t want to try that," Sam muttered, fists clenched at his sides as he tried to ignore his arousal.

That comment earned a quick look from Joe, and he frowned slightly. Fast healer, dogs didn’t like him, loved bloody meat... No way, it would be too good to be true. "I’ll keep us under the sound barrier," he promised, and within twenty minutes, they were turning onto a gravel road and passing beneath the sign for the San Gabriel Ranch.

"Home, sweet home, or more precisely, bed, sweet bed."

"Have I mentioned that I like the way you think?" Sam got out the truck, his arousal barely abated by the delay, and headed straight for the front door, eager to get to said bed.

"Joe! Hey!"

Groaning, Joe waved a distracted hand toward the main house, hoping that he could get Sam inside before Lucas caught up with them. "Did I ever tell you I hate my siblings?" he groaned, getting the door open, them both inside, and slamming it in Lucas’ startled face.

"There."

Laughing, Sam paused to scratch the small of his back fiercely. "Oh man, I hate sudden itches," he groaned, squirming uncomfortably.

Ignoring Lucas, who was now pounding on the door, Joe grabbed Sam’s shirt and pulled it over his head. "Let me help you with tha... Whoa! Nice ink!" he said appreciatively, running a hand over the spiraling pattern on the other man’s chest. "Yeah, itch, right." He moved behind the shorter man and ran his nails over the bronzed skin.

"Mmmm, feels great," Sam purred, "but this is one persistent itch, damnit! Look, maybe you better deal with that guy who’s about to pound the door down while I claw my back off," he suggested. "A few more minutes won’t kill us... I don’t think."

"Don’t even suggest it. Pushy little brother who is much too smug about his lover and - and no way I’m letting him in here right now.

"Go away, Luke! We’ll talk later," he yelled, nudging Sam forward and continuing to scratch his back. "Probably wants me to do a search on someone; well, he can wait for once!" The last was shouted toward the door again.

"Oh, that’s better," Sam sighed as the itch faded as suddenly as it had started. Stopping in his tracks abruptly, he swung around to face Joe, arms going around him while his mouth covered his voraciously.

"Nah, that’s better," Joe countered, trying to walk them both back to his bedroom without hitting the walls or furniture. Once inside, he broke away, panting heavily. "Naked, need you naked now, Sam," he rasped, tugging at his own clothes.

"God yes!" Sam sat on the edge of the bed to tear at his boots, actually breaking one of the laces but not giving a damn. Freed of the cursed footwear, he stripped off his jeans, showing his fondness for going commando, then stared at the other man. "Fuck, you’re incredible."

After bending to pull off his boots and jeans, Joe straightened, eyeing Sam’s body hungrily. "Forget dessert, you’re a whole goddamn meal, and I have to do this..." He pushed the other man back onto the bed and crawled over him, his tongue tracing the intricate tattoo.

"I’ve never loved that tattoo as much as I do right now," Sam managed breathily, back arching as he tried to get closer to the hot tongue raising gooseflesh on his chest.

Joe chuckled, his breath ghosting across the now damp skin. "When did you get it?" he asked before detouring to lap at one ruddy nipple.

"When I was fourteen. My uncle did it for me, said he was glad I wanted something of our heritage." Sam moaned, fingers clutching at the bedding as Joe teased him.

"I like it." Joe grinned wickedly. "It tastes good."

"You could taste other parts of me, you know!"

Glancing up, Joe met Sam’s dark gaze and licked his lips. "Like this?" he purred, backing up so that he was even with Sam’s erection and diving in to lap at it.

Sam yowled.

His back arched, his fingers tore the sheets loose from the bed, and his legs somehow hooked over Joe’s shoulders without dislodging him from his position.

The low rumble of pleasure continued to vibrate through Joe’s chest, and he bobbed his head over Sam’s cock, taking it deeper into his mouth with each pass. His tongue swept out to probe the tiny slit, and his own body tightened at the earthy taste of precome.

"Want to taste you too," Sam panted, tugging gently on his hair, body writhing as he fought to make this last longer.

Raising his head, Joe smiled at Sam through slightly swollen lips. "Oh yeah." Disentangling himself from the other man’s long legs, he swung around on the bed so that they were in reverse positions.

Gasping, Sam opened his mouth and sucked Joe’s shaft in, humming with pleasure as the thick length filled him. It was so good, even better now, and he writhed beneath Joe, wanting still more. His hands curled over his lover’s hips, cupping his buttocks, then glided inward to part the cheeks, fingertips brushing the sensitive opening.

Joe groaned and let his muscles relax, making sure to keep enough control so that Sam wouldn’t notice anything strange. As he took the other man deeper down his throat, he brushed a hand over his balls, rolling them between his fingers and tugging on them.

Crying out, Sam came, his body rippling with pleasure. As the tremors ebbed, he suckled more strongly on Joe, wanting to taste him now, needing to give him the same pleasure.

Pulling his head back because, even though he couldn’t get anything from the other man, appearances had to be kept up, Joe let Sam’s come spurt over his stomach. The other man smelled clean, so he was pretty sure it was a fact, but in this day and age...

"Fuck yeah," he moaned, his hips rocking in time with the motion of Sam’s mouth, until he came as well, yowling out his pleasure into the still room.

Only pulling back at the very last minute, Sam felt Joe come on his face and wished he dared taste him. Maybe if he stuck around for a while... When he felt the last tremor pass, he swiped a hand over his face and opened his eyes, smiling hugely. "I really love dessert."

Joe sighed happily and pushed up onto one elbow so he could smile at his new lover. "Best meal of the day, and might I add that I really like the way you look in my bed?"

"I like being here too." Sam pulled him up so he was facing the same way as Sam again, then pulled him into a kiss. "I may never want to leave."

Threading his fingers through the other man’s dark hair, Joe sighed in pleasure. "So stay. Gotta be more comfortable than a tent anyway. No ties, no restrictions."

Eyes widening, Sam stared at him. "Are you serious?"

"Would I have said it if I wasn’t?"

"I... okay. I’d like that. A lot." Eyes still wide and dazed, Sam brushed his lips over Joe’s again, smiling. "I’ll even make breakfast."

"Is it as good as your dessert?" Joe asked, managing to keep a reasonably straight face.

Sam snickered. "I’ll let you be the judge of that. It usually involves a bit more kitchen preparation."

"Oiling the surfaces? Whipping the cream? Making sure everything’s the right temperature?"

"Why do I get the feeling that nutritional value isn’t your prime requirement for that meal?" Sam chuckled. "I think I can handle your needs."

Joe chuckled and traced a finger over Sam’s tattoo. "Hey, you’re just distracting, what can I say?" The phone rang, and he groaned. "Let the machine get it."

Two rings, three, four, then the machine clicked on.

"Damn it, Joe, I know you’re in there! Pick up the phone _now_."

"Isn’t that the same guy who was pounding on the door? Damn, he’s persistent!" Sam said, staring at the machine as he recognized the voice.

"I hate my family," Joe sighed, giving Sam a quick kiss before reaching over him for the handset. "Runt, if this isn’t life or death, you are so fucking dead, got it?"

His annoyed expression lasted all of thirty seconds before changing into one of shock. "You’re shitting me. You’re- you’re sure? Okay, I know you know what you’re talking about, but... Oh boy. Yeah, I’ll see you later." He blindly set the phone down and sat up to lean against the headboard, staring at nothing.

"Hey, you okay? Is something wrong? You look like someone just hit you with a two by four." Sam sat up, one hand reaching for Joe.

Joe gave as much of a smile as he could manage and reached for Sam, pulling him closer and wrapping his arms around him. "No, nothing’s wrong, just... It was some unexpected news, that’s all. Nothing to worry about." He kissed Sam, then chuckled. "You’ve got my come all over your face still."

Looking at him searchingly for a moment, Sam slowly relaxed. "Well, I guess I need to clean up then. This place have a shower?" Despite his words, he didn’t move, enjoying being in Joe’s arms far too much.

"Even better." Joe leaned in and licked Sam’s face clean, unable to keep from purring once again as he enjoyed the flavor of them mixed together. "You have a personal bath attendant."

"Oh, I like this place. I should have become a kept man a long time ago," Sam chuckled, nuzzling into Joe.

Prodding Sam with an elbow until he collapsed on his back, Joe then reclined on top of him. "Feel free to return the favor any time."

"My pleasure." Sam started licking him clean, making sounds of pleasure as he tasted Joe through the familiar taste of his own semen. "Even better than a bath."

"Can have one of those too later," Joe sighed, closing his eyes and letting his hands run over Sam’s body as he cleaned him.

"Is your brother going to interrupt that too?" Sam chuckled. "Or is he happy now that he finally talked to you? There are some things that just should _not_ be interrupted, and I’m hoping we do them all."

Joe shifted uncomfortably, and he rolled over to look down at Sam. "Actually, he’ll be happy when he gets to meet you if you want to know the truth."

"Meet me? Does your brother approve of your lovers?"

"Not quite approve... More check something out. It can wait; it’s not like you’re going anywhere for now."

"Check me out? Why? Is he afraid I’m some kind of serial killer?" Sam chuckled.

"Yup, that’s it exactly. Since we’re all shapeshifting ax murderers, he wants to make sure you’ll fit in with the family."

Sam burst into laughter. "I’ll have to make sure to list all my kills for him then."

Joe pushed up onto an elbow and grinned down at him. "Sounds good. He doesn’t let me date anyone with less than a dozen."

"Damn." Sam made a show of counting on his fingers, then started to sit up. "Excuse me, I have to run out and kill a couple more people."

"Well, I’ll put in a good word for your skills in bed; that might knock one or two off the list."

"Oh good. I had other plans for the rest of the evening, and they’re a lot more fun than getting all messy killing people. I prefer my messes a little... paler."

"Mmm, my favorite kind of mess," Joe purred, leaning in to devour Sam’s mouth once again. "The kind of mess that looks gorgeous against your skin."

"Well, they say it’s good for the complexion," Sam replied, grinning, when Joe let him go to breathe. "So I guess we should make sure we both end up totally covered. It’ll take hours," he breathed, trailing his tongue along Joe’s throat.

"And lots and lots of work," Joe gasped, tilting his head back and swallowing his groan. "Hope you don’t have to be at work early in the morning."

"Nope. Tomorrow’s my day off. Good timing on your part. So I’m all yours till you have to go to work. If I can still walk straight when we finally get out of this bed, I’m going to be very disappointed."

"I’m my own boss no matter what Lucas says," Joe chuckled, "so I can make my own hours. Besides, I doubt he’ll be banging on the door before we decide to surface. As for you walking straight... if either of us are, I’ll eat my hat."

"I’d rather you ate me. After all, you do it so well." Sam grinned, curling an arm around Joe’s neck and pulling him back down on top of him so he could kiss him. "I’m beginning to think we’re going to get to round two long before that bath," he murmured, not sounding very upset by the prospect.

Joe bit his way down the side of Sam’s neck, being a little freer with the pressure now that he knew just what Sam was. "Horrors, and here I was thinking we’d get at least to round four before we did that."

"Oh, a goal. Goals are good. They give you something to shoot for." Sam groaned with pleasure and arched his throat, wanting more. "Oh spirits, that feels good." His arms and legs wrapped loosely around his lover, holding him near.

"Mmm, love the feeling myself. Tell me if I bite too hard though, don’t want to get carried away." Joe lifted his head to meet Sam’s eyes, his own clouded with desire.

"No, not too hard. Love it," Sam moaned, arching upward, his renewed erection letting Joe just how much he liked it. Blunt nails clawed at Joe’s back, trying to draw him closer, and he whined softly, begging for more.

"Good." Lowering his head again, Joe trailed a line of bites over the younger man’s chest, pausing to tug at his nipple, his own body tightening when Sam whimpered.

"Fuck, you’re going to make me crazy, aren’t you?" Sam panted, heavy-lidded eyes watching as Joe played with him. "Feels so good," he groaned, back arching to press closer to the teasing mouth.

Joe shook his head and bit at Sam’s nipple again. "Not gonna make you crazy, just going to make you come from this."

"Shit!" Sam shook, tiny mewls of pleasure escaping him. He thrust upward, rubbing against Joe’s belly, desperate for stimulation on his aching cock.

Arching his back inward, Joe pressed down against Sam’s body, feeling the wet trail of precome the other man left over his chest. Biting down into the muscular flesh of Sam’s chest hard enough to leave imprints of his teeth, Joe switched to the other side, attacking the peaked nipple with restrained ferocity.

"Joe!" Sam wailed, nearly thrashing beneath him, the almost painful pleasure driving him higher as Joe played him expertly. "Oh fucking hell, yes!" Gasping, he humped against his lover, so close...

Loving Sam’s extreme reaction, Joe moved lower, closing his teeth on the flat skin of the other man’s stomach and biting down hard.

Sam screamed wordlessly, body stiffening and arching upward as the sensation drove him over the edge, creamy gouts of fluid covering Joe’s chest.

Turned on beyond belief by the other man’s reaction, Joe surged up his body, kissing him voraciously as he rubbed against Sam’s come-slick body, his own orgasm triggered by his lover’s. "God... so damn hot..." he panted, looking down at the younger man with something akin to awe.

"Yeah, you are," Sam groaned, another ripple of sensation running through him as he felt Joe come against him. "Damn, I’m glad I met you," he gasped, pulling Joe into another kiss, seemingly trying to swallow him whole.

"And I’m glad Eva dragged me into Jack’s place to check out the new beefcake there." Joe rubbed his face against Sam’s as if marking the other man with his scent.

Sam groaned again, for entirely different reasons. "I am not a beefcake!"

"I dunno... You’re juicy like beef and sweet like cake. Seems you fit the description pretty well."

"Oh, that was _bad_!" Sam moaned, swatting at him. "And just watch it. Anything you say about me can apply to you too!"

Joe grinned. "Do you hear me complaining?"

"You really are a lunatic," Sam sighed. "But you’re damned good in bed, so I guess I’ll overlook that little flaw."

"So glad to hear it, and if you think I’m nuts, wait until you’ve met the rest of them, and seeing me run from Luke doesn’t count."

"Well, it was pretty funny. He’s so small compared to you," Sam chuckled. "But you’re not inspiring me to want to meet them. Quite the contrary, it sounds like hiding in here would be my best bet."

"Sorry, but if I don’t bring you out some time, they’ll probably tear down the door."

"Geez, curious about your love life much or what? Maybe we should both go hide out in my tent."

"Not so much my love life, just you." Joe thought about what he’d said and quickly added more to that statement. "Not often I drag a fella home and lock him away like this."

"I’m flattered. Guess I’ll have to work to live up to the billing." Sam raked his eyes over the other man. "A tough job but someone’s gotta do it."

Grinning, Joe rolled off of Sam and over to his back, scratching at his chest. "I’d say you’re doing a damn good job so far. Any better and I might need to call the paramedics."

"Mmm, like an audience do you? Kinky. But I’m willing to give it a shot." Sam grinned down at him, propped up on one arm while his free hand explored Joe’s body.

Joe snorted out a laugh and stretched under Sam’s stroking. "Don’t say that too loud around Eva, or she’ll take you up on it, then want to join in!"

"God no! I’d never keep up with two of you." Sam pretended to cringe. "Protect me?"

"From my sister? I’m already dead meat because you liked me more than her; you think I’m going to stop her again?"

"You’d abandon me to her mercies? Some help you are! Maybe I shoulda picked her after all," Sam teased, now trailing a single finger lightly down the center of Joe’s chest.

Joe smirked. "You could have, but if you did, you’d have been paying for your dinner, and hers besides!"

"Hmm, good point. I think I’d rather be trade than a sugar daddy. Want to keep me in style?"

"And just what is your style?"

"Plenty to eat, open space, lots of hot water, and more sex than I can handle."

"Hmmm..." Joe paused, pretending to mull it all over in his mind. "Food, check, space, check, hot water, yup, sex..." He flicked his eyes from Sam’s hand to his face. "I’d say that was a double check."

"Perfect. Sounds like a match made in heaven to me." Sam grinned and licked the same path his finger had followed.

_Let’s just hope you keep thinking that once we spring things on you,_ Joe sighed to himself before letting his eyes fall closed as he writhed on the sheets as if his backbone had gone liquid.

"Mmm, nice," Sam purred, watching him. "And people think sex shows are turn-ons. Obviously they’ve never seen you. Lucky me." He continued licking, bypassing Joe’s returning erection in favor of the sensitive flesh behind his balls, tongue lightly flicking.

"Huh?" Joe blinked and lifted his head enough to look down at Sam, groaning at the sight of the other man hovering over him. "Are you saying they’d think I was a turn off?"

"No, I’m saying that you’re a hundred times better and all those shows would go bankrupt if the patrons ever saw you and knew what they were missing," Sam said without moving, every word sending puffs of air over the damp, sensitized skin.

"Ahhh." Placated, Joe relaxed once again, his legs spreading wider as he tried to get more of Sam on him.

Sam settled himself comfortably, hands curving beneath Joe’s ass to raise him, and he slowly lapped along the crease between his buttocks, occasionally nipping at the firm flesh. Just before he reached the tight entrance, he paused and raised his head. "Are you sure you wouldn’t rather do something else right now?" he teased.

"Fuck no!" Joe gasped. "Of course, if you take much longer, I might die, and you’d be that much closer to your dozen with no one to appreciate it!"

"Can’t have that." Sam smirked at him before lowering his head again and lightly flicking his tongue over the ring of muscle. When Joe jumped, he tightened his grip on the other man’s hips, holding him in place, and did it again, with a little more pressure this time. He repeated the action over and over till Joe was straining against his grasp, then pointed his tongue and thrust forward, the tip pushing inside before withdrawing to lick again.

"Jesus, Sam!" Joe rasped, his back bowing off the bed and his cock going from mildly interested in things to full bore attention. "God, that feels good, more."

Chuckling wickedly, Sam did exactly that, fucking the other man with his tongue till he was writhing. "That what you had in mind?" he purred, rubbing his own cock against the bed, aching to get inside him but wanting to drive him crazy first.

Joe couldn’t help but snarl at that remark, for the moment not caring that it sounded more animal then human. "Not hardly!" he rasped, on the verge of reaching out for Sam and yanking him where he wanted him.

"All you had to do was say so," Sam replied sweetly, grinning at him. "Got supplies around here? You know, condoms, lube? Though we could probably skip that last at this point," he added with a chuckle.

Groaning, Joe motioned toward the bedside table with one hand. God, rubbers. He hated them, only wore them when he was with a woman to be safe, and never with the guys he slept with, simply because they were shifters too. "Grab one, get it on you, and get in me!" he demanded fiercely.

"Oh, a pushy bottom, aren’t you!" Equally eager, Sam snatched at the rubber, rolled it on, and pushed inside the tight, grasping heat. "Oh god, you feel so good!" He stilled, eyes closed, simply feeling Joe around him.

After giving a gasp at the sudden feeling of being filled, Joe relaxed and laughed a bit. "You think that’s pushy? Man, you really need to meet the rest of the family." He tightened his ass down around Sam’s cock and purred, reaching up to slide his hands over the other man’s chest.

"I think you’re enough for one man." Sam leaned down to kiss him, tongue delving inside his mouth to tease and fill him. At the same time he slowly pulled his hips back, drawing back until only the head of his cock remained inside the other man, and paused again.

"And you’re a fucking tease!" Joe howled, fisting his hands to keep from dragging Sam closer.

"Aww, you noticed." At the wild-eyed look he got from the other man, Sam bit his lip to prevent himself from bursting into laughter and pushed forward again, burying himself to the hilt inside his new lover. He got a good grip on Joe’s hips and suddenly rolled them so that he ended up on his back with Joe on top of him.

"Since you seem to object to what I was doing, why don’t you take over?" he suggested with a sunny smile despite the passion-dark eyes.

"Little fucker..." Joe growled, though he was also laughing. "Just you wait." Even as he spoke, he was rocking his hips, driving himself up and down on Sam’s erection while his hands played over the other man’s chest.

"Not so little, as you should know." Sam arched up, groaning as Joe’s nails scraped over his nipples. He drove upward, meeting every downward thrust, his hands still gripping Joe’s hips.

"I wasn’t talking about your ego," Joe laughed, the sound dissolving into a groan when Sam’s cock hit his prostate.

"Neither was I! Or do you think that’s someone else inside you, smart ass?" Sam’s hands rose upward so he could flick Joe’s nipples, loving the sounds he made.

Joe’s response was an interesting combination of laughter and groaning, and he tangled his hands in Sam’s dark hair, pulling him in for a kiss. "It may be the first time I’ve had that cock in me, but I know it’s all yours."

"All yours at the moment," Sam groaned laughingly, thrusting up again. "Unless you’re planning to offer me to your sister again. Ohhhhh!" He stopped talking, not able to form a coherent thought as Joe clenched around him.

"Ass," Joe growled, circling his hips and, needing more, taking one of Sam’s hands and placing it on his own erection. "I’m not planning on offering you to anyone except maybe a hungry cat!"

Starting to jerk Joe off in time with their thrusts together, Sam managed to gasp, "Cat? You’re one kinky bastard, aren’t you?" He groaned, feeling his balls draw up as his climax neared, and his hand started to move faster, wanting to bring Joe with him.

"You have no idea," Joe managed to get out before the pressure of Sam’s hand on his cock and the feel of the other man’s erection sent him over the edge and he came, though the fact that this was his third orgasm meant not much in the way of come landed on Sam’s body.

Crying out as Joe rippled around him, Sam came as well, gasping at the painful pleasure of yet another climax in such a short time. "Oh man," he gasped, hands running over Joe’s torso, then tugging him down for another kiss, "you’re gonna kill me with pleasure."

"Nah," Joe chuckled, licking his way around Sam’s mouth and shifting so that he was lying partially on and partially alongside the other man. "Rob would have to put me in jail if I did that, and as much as he’d hate it, he’d do it. I just wanted to wear us both out, which I think I did pretty damn well."

"I have to agree," Sam murmured, sighing when Joe slipped off of him and disposing of the rubber. "That was incredible. If you can repeat that performance on a daily basis, I may be in love," he chuckled.

"If I can repeat that performance on a daily basis, we might both be dead," Joe murmured, lazily nuzzling his face into the hollow of Sam’s shoulder.

"Well, we can’t have that. I guess we’ll just have to keep that for special occasions. And I’m sure that we can find lots of those."

"Mmm, the sun coming up, rain, snow, breathing..."

"Exactly. Hmmm. Good thing I don’t need much and you can work from home ‘cause it doesn’t sound like we’re going to have much time for much else." Sam rubbed his cheek against the top of Joe’s head.

Joe smiled and nipped at Sam’s throat, liking the thought of the two of them staying there together indefinitely. "Well, if we need money, I could always upload pictures to pay porn sites."

"You think we could make money off these hot bods?" Sam chuckled. "Sounds like a plan. Then we really don’t ever have to get out of bed."

"That works by me, but unfortunately, my family has a key to this place, and they might get ticked if we never showed our faces outside."

Sam groaned. "Good thing your brother didn’t happen to have it on him earlier then, or we’d never have gotten this far. Kinda makes me glad that my family’s in another state."

Joe fell silent at the mention of Lucas, and he sighed. "I wouldn’t put it past him to show up in the morning with coffee though. He’s... There’s some stuff he’s going to want to talk over with you."

Sam stared at him. "Please tell me your family isn’t going to quiz me on my intentions."

The blond chuckled a bit at that. "No, and they won’t be waiting with a shotgun either. Lucas... fuck, how do you explain this?"

"Explain what?" Sam asked, half laughing, though a faint frown creased his forehead. "You’re starting to sound frazzled there, Joe."

Facing the fact that the nap curled up next to Sam he’d envisioned wasn’t going to come to pass, Joe sat up, raking his hands through his short hair. "I’m starting to feel that way too if you want to know the truth. Lucas called earlier because... Do you believe in the paranormal?"

"Depends what you mean by paranormal. I’ve seen tribal shamans do some inexplicable things, and I believe that everything has a spirit."

Joe nodded and looked over his shoulder at Sam. "What about Buffy the Vampire Slayer paranormal: vampires and werewolves and ghosts?"

Frowning at this rather odd line of questioning, Sam shrugged, sitting up as well and pushing a pillow behind his back. "Ghosts aren’t much of a stretch, I suppose, but vampires and werewolves? Gimme a break."

"I take it that’s a no then."

"Of course it’s a no." Sam eyed him, hoping he hadn’t made a mistake and gotten involved with a nutcase.

Mentally damning Luke to the ninth circle of hell for forcing this conversation on him so early, Joe turned around, crossing his legs and looking down at Sam. "What if I told you that you were wrong?"

Sam leaned back almost imperceptibly. "I’d wonder what was in the beer you drank earlier," he replied bluntly.

"Yeah, that’s what I figured. Be back in a minute, okay?" Joe slid out of bed and walked into the other room, grabbing his phone and dialing up his younger brother.

Fidgeting, Sam debated grabbing his clothes and getting out, but he really did like the other man. He’d wait and see if he just had some eccentric ideas or if he really was certifiable. He sighed. Leave it him to find what seemed like the perfect guy and have him turn out to be some kind of wack-job.

Shaking his head, Joe walked back into the bedroom and stopped in the doorway, relieved to see that Sam was still there. "Just tell him he says," he muttered before lifting his eyes to look at his lover. "There’s a lot more in this world than you’ve seen, Sam," he said quietly. "What I am, I’m taking a big risk here, but I trust you, and I like you, and that outweighs the fact that I’ve barely known you for eight hours."

"What you are?" Sam repeated cautiously.

Joe winced at the tone of Sam’s voice and took a deep breath. "You know how I was joking around about shapeshifters? Well... I wasn’t."

"You weren’t." Sam’s voice was totally expressionless, but he slid out of bed on the side away from Joe and looked around for his jeans.

The blond’s whole body slumped, and he stepped away from the doorway so that Sam wouldn’t feel trapped. "Yeah." Guessing that this was the end of whatever could have been between them but knowing he had to do it so that Lucas could explain to Sam what his heritage was, Joe closed his eyes and reached inside himself, letting his other form out.

Sam let out a wordless squawk, falling to the floor as his knees gave out beneath him, and he stared at the lynx standing where Joe had been a moment before. His mouth opened and closed a few times, but nothing came out.

"He told you the truth," Lucas commented from the doorway. He’d raced over to Joe’s after the phone call and looked from his brother to the startled latent on the floor. "What you do with it is up to you."

Sam gaped from the lynx to the man in the doorway, absently scratching at the small of his back. "Wha—Why tell me?" he demanded, not trying to stand up yet. He was back to staring at the lynx, seeing the intelligence in the eyes looking back at him, and he had to admit that it was a beautiful animal. Animal. A bark of laughter escaped him. Not quite.

The two brothers exchanged a look, but Joe didn’t change back, plainly intent on letting Lucas do the talking right now.

"I told him to tell you. It’s a little sooner then we normally do when meeting people like you, but considering the situation..." Lucas shrugged. "I bullied him into it."

"What situation?" Sam gave him a hard look as he stood up and cautiously approached the lynx—Joe—sinking back down to kneel in front of him. "Joe?"

Joe turned his head, studying Sam gravely, and nudged his head against the younger man’s arm.

Lucas watched the interplay quietly, reminded of how he had to convince Rowan that he’d been speaking the truth in this matter. "The fact that you’re one of us," he said quietly.

"What?" Sam yelped, head whipping around so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash. "No way, nuh unh! Not possible. I know my mom and my grandparents and my brothers and sisters, no way I’m some kind of f—shifter." He shook his head, standing up and backing away from Lucas, not even realizing he was naked in front of this total stranger.

"But not your father, right? It’s not uncommon, and yes, you are; I can feel it. Tell me, the first time you saw me, did you get an itch in your lower back? One that you probably have right now too?"

Joe changed back and reached for Sam’s clothes, offering them to him wordlessly.

"How did you know that?" Sam asked suspiciously, stepping into the jeans but not moving away from Joe.

"It’s what he does; he finds people who are like you, latent shifters," Joe answered.

"It’s how you react to me. Part of you recognizes me even if you don’t know about it. Drove Rowan bloody crazy before he was triggered," the young man smiled fondly at the memory.

"No, no way," Sam repeated, shaking his head. He couldn’t deny the existence of shifters, not with the life-sized evidence right there in the room with him, but _he_ wasn’t one. It wasn’t possible. Unconsciously, he reached for Joe’s hand, wanting the reassurance of the contact.

Letting the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding out, Joe tightened his fingers around Sam’s, then thought better of that and let go to slide his arm around his lover’s waist, supporting him.

"Hard to believe, yes, but not no way," Lucas said gently but firmly.

Sam leaned into Joe’s support gratefully, frowning at his lover’s brother. "Look, I realize it would be nice and pat for you if I were... like you both, but why would you think that? I’ve never turned into a lynx in my life, and I rather doubt I’m about to start now."

Lucas chuckled, swallowing it down at Joe’s glare. "Nobody’s saying you’d be a lynx, Sam. We all change into something different, though we’re all cats. I’m a snow leopard and our older brother’s a cougar. As for you never changing, latents can’t, not until they’re triggered."

"Don’t go into the whole scientific explanation, okay?" Joe cut in.

"Latents? Triggered?" Sam asked, ignoring Joe’s interjection and realizing that he was starting to believe the smaller man despite himself.

"Coffee?" Joe suggested hopefully.

Lucas nodded. "I think we’re going to need it."

"I think I need something stronger," Sam muttered. "You were a _cat_!"

"Yup, been one on and off since puberty" Joe said, trying to keep his tone light to put Sam at ease. "And scotch or beer?"

"Scotch!" Sighing, Sam suddenly realized that the room, not surprisingly, reeked of sex, and he flushed slightly. "Uh, maybe we should continue this in the living room or kitchen or something?"

"I’ll put the coffee on and let the two of you get cleaned up," Lucas said, closing the door behind him.

"Look, Sam..." Joe sighed. "It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I had no clue when we met; Luke’s the only one who can spot latents. I just knew I liked you."

"So this wasn’t all just because you think I’m some kind of werecat or something?" Sam asked, his eyes pleading for reassurance.

"God, no!" Joe exclaimed. "First I thought you were gorgeous, then I thought you were a good guy, now I really like you, and I’m actually amazed that you’re still standing here after what you just went through, but I never, _never_ wanted you because of what you were. It was who you were - who you are."

Sam smiled slowly. "In that case, we should probably shower and dress and get out there before your brother barges in again. He seems the pushy sort," he joked, trying to relax.

Joe let out a laugh, sagging against Sam’s side in relief. "Seems? Sam, the runt defines the word. When the seeker says jump, we all better be on the roof or he’s going on a rampage.

"Bathroom’s through here, and my sweats will probably fit you if you want something clean to put on."

"Sounds good... till we can get rid of your brother again. No offense, but this really wasn’t what I expected from tonight, although the earlier acts were great." Sam shed his jeans again and strode toward the bathroom, eager to clean up. He was _sticky_.

Watching Sam, a feral light shining in his eyes, Joe smiled. "How about once he goes through his explanation, I take you?" he asked, sidling up behind the other man.

"Can we skip the explanation and go straight to the fun part?" Sam laughed, though if he thought he could get away with it, he’d have done just that.

"I’d say yeah, but knowing Luke, he’d barge into the bathroom and drag us out by our dicks to get our attention." Joe reached into the shower stall and turned on the water. "Hot or warm?"

"Hot," Sam replied, wincing at the image Joe’d conjured up. "Your brother’s a sadistic bastard as well as being pushy," he grumbled.

Adjusting the temperature accordingly, Joe grinned back over his shoulder. "That must be what keeps Rowan interested; now come on and clean up so we don’t have to live through that."

"Couldn’t we just crawl out the window and make a break for my tent?" Sam grabbed the bath gel, squeezing some into his hands and rubbing them together to work up a lather, then running his palms over Joe’s chest.

Purring in his throat, Joe shook his head. "Dogs don’t have anything on cats when it comes to tracking. Do you really want a clouded leopard and a snow leopard landing on the tent in the middle of the night?"

"Shit!" Sam said with feeling. "They couldn’t be Persians or something small?" He could not believe he was saying this, but he couldn’t deny what he’d seen, and since he still wanted Joe, he was going to have to deal with it.

Reaching for the soap, Joe began to bathe his lover’s chest, chuckling softly all the while. "Don’t let size fool you, lover. My dad’s an ocelot, can’t weigh more than thirty-five pounds in cat form, but he can take any of us down."

A low rumble of pleasure sounded deep in Sam’s chest as Joe cared for him. "So if I’m like you—and I’m not admitting I am!--I could be anything? Even something small enough that the pushy runt could push me around as a cat too? Hell, is everyone a cat, or could it be something else?"

Relieved that Sam seemed to be at least accepting the possibility of this all being the truth, Joe shrugged. "Could be, though I hate to tell you that Lucas is pretty dominant. He pushes pretty much all of us around except Dad and Rowan. Man, you should have heard it when he realized that for once he wasn’t top cat." He laughed quietly.

"Nope, everyone’s not a cat, but you are because Lucas can’t pick out latents from other clans. We can all tell if someone else is a shifter though, and if you decide to get triggered, you’ll be able to too."

"Triggered? The pushy one said something about that too. What’s it mean? And what do you mean, if I decide? This is optional?"

"Turn around," Joe instructed, waiting until Sam did as he asked to begin soaping his back. "Yeah, for full-bloods, shifting is a given; for latents it isn’t. Triggering is a sort of ceremony, to get you in touch with your inner animal, and if you don’t go through it, you won’t ever change."

"Well, since you’re one, I suppose _if_ I am too, I’d want to do it," Sam said quietly, slowly accepting that this was all real, not some weird dream brought on by bad mushrooms or something.

"Hey, no pressure, I promise," Joe murmured, kissing Sam’s neck behind his ear. "It’s a pretty serious decision, so think about it."

"No, deciding to move in here with you for the duration," _and that may be a lot longer than I’ve considered before,_ "that was a serious decision. Finding out if I really _am_ a latent is major. Going through with what it means if I am, that’s the easy part."

"And staying here with me if you go through with it?" Joe asked quietly.

"Staying here with you... either way," Sam said, distantly amazed but knowing that he wanted this man.

Joe blinked, then he turned Sam back around to face him so that he could kiss him hungrily. "I want you to... either way," he rasped, cursing the fact that Lucas was waiting for them even though he doubted that they could do anything physically for a while.

When their lips finally parted, Sam smiled, not caring that he probably looked sappy. "So let’s go deal with the pushy one so we can get back to celebrating."

"We may need some vitamins first," Joe laughed, stepping back so they could finish washing quickly.

"We’ll have to stock up tomorrow," Sam agreed, chuckling. "But I suppose we can take a break to deal with your brother. And then he’s out if we have to grab him by arms and legs and toss him out the door!"

Throwing Sam a towel after turning off the water, Joe laughed aloud. "Nah, he’d bite us. I’ll call Rowan and have him deal with the runt." Once they were dry, he grabbed a pair of sweats for Sam and pulled on a pair himself. "Ready to deal with him?"

"Ready as I’ll ever be," Sam sighed, pulling on the sweats and following Joe toward the door, enjoying the view. "I think I’m jealous of that cotton," he rasped.

"Don’t be; it’s never been in my ass."

"I know you two are out of the shower! I’m counting to three, then coming in there with ice if you aren’t dressed and out here!" Lucas threatened.

"Bug off, pushy!" Sam yelled back, not intimidated by the other man. "We’ll be out when we’re damn good and ready!" Ignoring the fact that they’d been about to step out of the room, he stopped, a hand on Joe’s arm halting him as well. Shooting a fulminating glance at the door, he waited.

Joe clapped both his hands over his mouth and leaned against Sam’s side to keep from falling over as he howled in silent laughter.

Listening to the silence on the other side of the door, Sam waited to see if Lucas would be foolish enough to actually open it.

"You know, eventually you’re going to want answers, and laughing boy in there isn’t going to be able to help you," Lucas shouted through the door.

Sam stalked to the door and opened it, then strode out to prod Lucas in the chest with a finger. "_Joe_ lives here. _You_ don’t. Quit trying to rule the roost, pushy; it ain’t yours." Ignoring the man after that, he headed for the kitchen, deciding he wanted coffee after all, though he still planned to add a shot of scotch.

Lucas bristled but held his tongue. "Dad’s just going to love him," he muttered, shaking his head.

"It’s okay, Sam," Joe said, catching up with the younger man and resting his hand on his arm. "It’s the way all doms are; it doesn’t bother me."

"Well, it bothers me. Let him dom his own damn lover!"

Joe had to grin at that. "He can’t; that’s why he picks on me."

"Not any more, he doesn’t," Sam growled. "You said you had another brother. Let them deal with him."

"Sam, it doesn’t..." Joe broke off, knowing there was no way to explain the relationship to someone who wasn’t born into the clan. "So you’re the only one who can boss me around then?"

"Well, parents are an exception to the rule," Sam admitted, smiling faintly. "And I don’t want to boss you around. I happen to prefer an equal partnership. It just bugs me that _he_ keeps trying to order you around. And me."

Lucas sighed. "_He_ has to be that way to get people like _you_ to believe what _he’s_ telling them."

Ignoring his brother for the moment, Joe smiled. "Equal is good, and he’ll calm down once things are settled."

"Hmph." Sam seemed less than convinced, but this _was_ Joe’s brother, so he was going to have to learn to get along with the pushy little bugger. "Fine, whatever." He brushed his lips over Joe’s, then slung an arm around his waist. "Come on, I have a feeling I’m going to need to be sitting down for what comes next."

"Sure you don’t want the bottle of scotch?" Joe teased, leading Sam back over to the kitchen table and sitting down beside him, reaching out to take the younger man’s hand as Lucas joined them.

"So," Lucas said, eyeing the latent closely, "where do you want to start?"

Sighing, Sam made an effort to stop snarling at the smaller man. "You’re the expert here, you tell me... although how to stop this damned itch would be nice!" he added with a groan, squirming uncomfortably.

"Is he going to take a swing at me if I touch him?" Lucas asked Joe, ignoring his surly lover for the time being.

"No," Joe answered, "he won’t, right, Sam?"

"Of course not," Sam exclaimed, genuinely surprised by the comment. "You’re the serial killers, remember, not me." He grinned at Joe, also ignoring Lucas for the moment, though he was now scratching madly.

"Serial killers?" Lucas asked, eyeing his brother in confusion as he stood and walked around behind Sam.

"You don’t want to know."

"Somehow I gathered that." The smaller man placed his hands on Sam’s back, feeling out pressure points and nodding to himself. "Not too bad overall. Tell you the truth, Sam, the only things that are going to make the itching go away are being triggered or shunted, but I can help some for now." He found the bundle of nerves he was looking for and pressed inward.

"Oh, thank god!" Sam gasped, slumping forward with relief. "That was about to drive me crazy." He twisted around to look at Lucas. "Thanks. Now... shunted? Joe explained a little about being triggered—and I’m still not convinced, by the way—but what’s shunting?"

Pausing to refill his coffee mug on the way back to his chair, Lucas took a long drink before answering. "Shunting is basically turning off that part of you that makes you a latent. Joe told you it can go either way, right?"

Sam nodded. "And I told him and am telling you that _if_ I really am a... shifter," he swallowed hard, "I’m not interested in turning it off, as you put it. But I still don’t see why you’re so insistent that I am one. I could just be allergic to you, you know." He smiled toothily.

"Ooo, you brought home a comedian, Joe," Lucas sighed. "Okay, putting aside the whole itchy back thing, how about I tell you some things about yourself, okay? Let’s see, you’re a fast healer, you’ve always been more athletic than your peers, stronger, faster, more agile, that sort of thing. Dogs don’t particularly like you, but cats do - and I’m talking beyond the normal dog person, cat person range here."

"Lucas." Joe said warningly, seeing Joe’s eyes start to glaze over. "Enough."

Sam gave his lover a smile of gratitude, fingers interlaced with his and now gripping tightly. "Okay, so maybe you might be right," he admitted warily. "You trying to tell my father was one of you?"

Lucas nodded. "Either he was or one of his parents were. The genetics don’t pass on much beyond two generations, though there have been a few cases of..."

"Save Science 101 for later, Luke, okay?" Joe asked. "If we could get your mom to tell us his name, I could probably find out if he was a known shifter or not."

"Good luck," Sam snorted. "For twenty-eight years she’s refused to say a word about him beyond the fact that he existed, and I kind of made that impossible to deny. What makes you think that she’d tell _you_?" He paused suddenly. "Unless... she _knew_ ," he said slowly. "That might explain a lot. If that’s the case, then seeing you shift might convince her to tell us." He looked at Joe. "How do you feel about traveling?"

"Can I take my laptop?" Joe asked, grinning.

Sam groaned. "Techno-geek!"

"And what’s wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Sam sighed. "I like you just the way you are... even if you’d look for an electrical outlet in the middle of the Grand Canyon!"

"Hey!" Joe laughed. "Now that’s going too far!" He smacked at Sam’s arm and wrestled him in for a kiss.

Lucas sighed and stood up to carry his mug to the sink. "I doubt we’ll get anything more done tonight. Come by tomorrow; I imagine Sam and Rowan will have a lot to talk about." He paused and grinned. "And I’ll try not to be as pushy."

Sam sighed again. "And I’ll try not to be so touchy." He shrugged, meeting Lucas’ eyes. "Honeymoon days and protective instincts and all that."

Lucas smiled. "It’s understandable. Just remember, you hurt Joe and you’ll find out what the word pushy means, as well as the word dom, got it?"

"I don’t believe this," Joe sighed, leaning forward so that his head fell against the table.

Sam snorted. "Go home, pushy. I think Joe and I can handle the rest of this evening’s activities alone." Despite his words, Sam found himself warming to the other man for his genuine protectiveness toward Joe.

Nodding, Lucas started to head toward the door but paused and turned, grinning. "Oh, Sam? It was nice to meet you too."

Joe waited until the door slammed before he groaned, still not lifting his head from the table.

Sprawled in one of the other chairs, Sam eyed him with amusement. "You planning to stay there all night? And should I go lock the door to make sure no one else wanders in?"

"Might be a good idea," Joe muttered, not lifting his head. "I’ll get up eventually; after all, someone needs to keep you company in bed, and if I don’t, I’m terrified Eva will hear about it and sneak in through the window."

"Don’t worry about it; I know which twin I want," Sam chuckled, pausing to kiss the top of his head before going to lock the door. He really didn’t think he could handle any more surprises that night.

"Ready to move yet?" he asked as he returned to the kitchen, finally pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Or should I make myself comfortable in here? And do you want a cup?"

Finally raising his head, Joe looked over to where Sam was standing by the coffee maker. "No thanks, if I drink any now, it’ll keep me up all night, and I have the feeling I’m going to need my rest with you around."

"If anything’s keeping you up all night, I want it to be me." Sam grinned at him as he took a mouthful of his coffee. "Mmm, good. If I’d tasted this earlier, I’d have made some allowances for your brother. Anyone who makes coffee this good can’t be all bad."

Joe had to chuckle at that. "Coffee’s Luke’s one vice. Just don’t mention that fact that it stunts your growth, or he’ll take your arm off." Standing, he walked around the table and stood behind his lover, setting his hands on Sam’s shoulders. "You doing okay with all this?"

"Cranky little bugger, isn’t he," Sam chuckled before sighing and leaning back against Joe.

"I’m... as okay as can be expected. You being a cat some of the time is weird, but kind of interesting... and hot. But thinking that _I_ might be one too... That’s kinda freakin’ me out here, Joe. I really can’t think about it yet."

"So don’t." Joe bent and kissed the top of Sam’s head. "Deal with it tomorrow or the next day or whenever you want to; it’s not going anywhere and neither am I." He chuckled quietly and bent further down to nip at Sam’s ear. "Of course I do want to get in you eventually, so drink up."

Sam drank his coffee so fast he nearly scalded himself and set the mug in the sink. "After you, catboy."

"Nope, after you," Joe murmured, moving around behind Sam and crowding up against his ass so that the other man could feel his erection.

"God yes!" Sam ground back, the soft cotton of his borrowed sweats yielding to the pressure and letting Joe’s cock settle between his cheeks. "I can’t wait to feel that inside me."

Sliding a hand around Sam’s chest, Joe dipped his fingers beneath the waistband of the sweats to cup his lover’s stiffening cock. "Walk faster then, Sam," he murmured, nipping at his bare shoulder.

Groaning, Sam reached down and linked his fingers with Joe’s, drawing them out of his sweats, then holding on to pull him behind as he _ran_ to the bedroom.

Laughing, though it had a strained note to it, Joe followed, managing to get them both out of their sweats by the time they hit the bed. "Mmm, want to take you from behind, Sam," he purred, biting his way down the younger man’s neck.

"And you think I’m going to argue?" Sam groaned a laugh and pressed closer. "Fuck me already!"

"I love an eager man," Joe chuckled, stretching out over Sam to grab the lube, pushing his lover up onto his knees so that he could nip his way down his back while he slicked up his fingers and began to stretch him.

"You not your damn fingers," Sam growled, thrusting back. "I want you _now_." He wanted the burn of possession, the edge of pain to the pleasure, and he didn’t want to wait.

Joe couldn’t help but laugh, even as he pulled back to slick up his cock. "You’re as pushy as Luke is, did you know that?" Before Sam could snarl out an answer, he pressed inward, breaching the other man’s ass and groaning as he continued to slide in until he rested against Sam’s back.

"Would you please n-not talk about your pushy brother when we’re in bed?" Sam panted, squirming to try to make Joe move. "Oh god, you feel so fucking good," he rasped, bracing himself on one hand so he could raise the other to his neglected erection.

Letting out a bark of laughter at Sam’s comment, Joe groaned and began to move, catching hold of his lover’s hips and holding him so that he could thrust forward into his tight heat, pulling out only partway before repeating the move.

"Oh yeah. Harder!" Sam demanded, jerking himself rapidly and slamming back to meet Joe’s thrusts. They were good together... "Fucking amazing," he gasped.

"Fucking gorgeous," Joe rasped in response, sliding a hand around Sam’s flank to stroke him and biting at his back, leaving half moons of teeth marks every time he thrust in.

Each bite made Sam shudder with pleasure, almost more arousing than the cock pounding into his ass, and his cries increased in volume. Every thrust and every nip made him yell with pleasure, and his body tightened, the sensations growing ever more intense.

"Come for me, Sam," Joe gasped, stroking his lover’s erection in time with his own thrusts and feeling his balls draw up closer to his body as he fought to hold on. "Need to feel you."

Now that Joe was jerking him off, Sam let his hand fall back to the bed for support, his back arching deeply to take him even farther inside himself, and he cried when Joe bit him again, wailing Joe’s name as his body spasmed, sending bursts of fluid over Joe’s hand and the sheets below him.

Managing to hold out until Sam collapsed onto the bed, Joe raised his come-slick hand to his lips and licked it, then groaned and came, slamming deep within the younger man’s body to claim him as much as possible.

Sam groaned, another spasm of pleasure wracking him as Joe drove so deep inside him, and he clenched his ass around the shaft possessing him. "Where have you been all my life?" he chuckled breathlessly, sprawled bonelessly beneath the bigger man. Usually forced to stop too soon by lovers whose endurance didn’t match his, for the first time Sam was the one who didn’t think he could ever move again. And he loved it.

Dipping his head to lick the sweat from Sam’s shoulder, Joe smiled. "Right here and that’s where I intend to stay too."

"Trying to tell me that my wandering days are over?" Sam didn’t sound overly concerned, and much to his own surprise he wasn’t. Maybe he’d kept moving because he was looking for exactly what he’d found with Joe.

Meeting his lover’s dark eyes as Sam looked back over his shoulder, Joe felt his gut clench. Sam didn’t sound like he minded that fact, but he had to be sure. "If you want them to be."

Sam stared at him searchingly for long moments, finally smiling faintly. "You know, I think I do. Which doesn’t mean that I’m not going to drag you off on frequent road trips. Heck, my family is gonna want to meet you too. And we’ll see what Mom has to say about this whole cat-man thing."

"Now that’s going to be an interesting conversation," Joe murmured before leaning in to brush a kiss over Sam’s mouth. "As for road trips, fine with me as long as I can have internet access when we stop for the night so I can make sure that the runt doesn’t need anything."

"The pushy runt needs to get fucked," Sam grumbled, writhing sensually beneath him and loving the sensation of their bodies rubbing together. He sighed when Joe slipped out of him, then pulled Joe around him and in for a deeper kiss.

"According to Rowan, he does get fucked and quite frequently too." Joe chuckled and stretched out next to Sam, sighing in contentment. "Never would have believed it myself, but it’s true."

"This guy Rowan must be a brave man to take the pushy little bugger on." Sam rolled closer, pillowing his head on Joe’s shoulder, again surprising himself with his desire to snuggle. It wasn’t usually his style, but all bets seemed to be off where it came to Joe.

"That or brain-damaged," Joe murmured, feeling sleep beginning to catch up with him as he relaxed fully. "Considering he plays pro soccer, I can’t say which it is, but they seem happy enough when they aren’t fighting."

Chuckling, Sam simply snuggled closer as he fell asleep.

***

"Are you sure I have to deal with him first thing in the morning?" Sam grumbled over his coffee the next day, not pleased by the idea of seeing Lucas again so soon.

"You want me to call and tell them not to come over?" Joe asked. "There’s no timetable on this; I keep telling you that."

"I know, and I’m grateful for it. But if this is for real, I want to know it. And then I want to share that with you too," Sam admitted quietly, looking up at Joe.

"It is for real," Joe said quietly. "All of it, and it’s going to be coming through that door all too soon." He chuckled. "One pushy runt and his psycho Brit lover."

"Please tell me that the rest of your family is sane," Sam begged, hearing sounds at the door that might be the infamous brother now.

Joe opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a shout from outside. "Coffee. Now! And tea for the illegal alien here."

"Fuck you, you bastard," Rowan retorted good-naturedly. "Why I ever contemplated letting you get into my pants I’ll never know, an error in my normally good judgment obviously."

Holding out a hand to Sam, Rowan smiled. "Don’t let the geek mislead you. I’m saner than he is."

Breaking off his chant of ‘thou shalt not kill thy lover’s brother,’ Sam shook the Englishman’s hand, grinning back. "You’d pretty much have to be," he chuckled, darting a look at Lucas. "Then again, he does make a damn good cup of coffee, so he can’t be all bad."

Rowan’s nose wrinkled. "Coffee? Disgusting stuff. I prefer tea, thank you all the same. So, Luke tells me you’re a latent too. Any questions for me?"

Sam groaned. "How did you know? I mean, everyone keeps _telling_ me that I’m some werecat too, but I don’t _feel_ it, ya know? Okay, obviously shapeshifters are real since I _saw_ Joe turn into a lynx, but _me_?" He sighed morosely, reaching for Joe’s hand.

"Fine, fine, nobody believe the seeker," Lucas muttered to himself, walking over to the counter to fix himself a mug of coffee and put water on for Rowan’s tea.

"Ease off, Luke," Joe sighed. "You know not everyone believes you right off the bat."

"I didn’t either, you bloody idiot," Rowan replied with fond exasperation, blowing a kiss at his mate’s half-hearted snarl.

"Did Joe ever tell you how I found out?" Rowan asked with a chuckle. Seeing a negative shake of the other man’s head, he laughed. "I play soccer for Manchester United in England, best bloody soccer team in the world by the way but that’s beside the point.

"Anyway, I’d been feeling like I was crawling out of my skin for about six months by the time Luke spotted me. I thought I was going around the bend like my real mum. I’m adopted, and my birth mother was committed because she claimed she’d been impregnated by a cat-man. Her doctors thought she was loony. She was actually telling the truth, but I was given up for adoption and never knew anything about my natural father other than the fact that the crazy lady who’d given birth to me though he was half cat, half man.

"So there I am, my skin crawling, feeling like someone’s watching me twenty-four seven, vibrating in place and tearing the shite out of about a punching bag a week, thinking I was going off my rocker. And it starts up again right in the middle of Heathrow airport. My skin crawling blah blah blah. Well, fact was I was being watched. By Mr. Hot Shot Seeker here. I actually accused him of reading too much Harry bloody Potter when he finally told me what he was," Rowan remembered with an amused laugh.

"I... haven’t felt that, well, not really. I did have this really weird itch in the small of my back last night... which is back, just not as bad yet," he added in surprise, darting a glance at Lucas. "Look, I know you all believe what you’re telling me—well, either that or you’re all completely nuts and so am I—but I _need_ to go see my mom, to ask her what if anything she knows about all this."

"I’m going with you," Joe volunteered immediately.

"I’m not saying anything," Lucas commented to his coffee mug.

"See, you can be taught!" Rowan beamed, kissing Lucas on the side of his temple. "You do what you have to, Sam, but in the meantime if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them. I was apparently a rather unique case for a latent, so I’m sure your transition is gonna go much smoother than mine did. And Joe knows what to do, despite being an idiot savant," he finished, blowing the older sibling a raspberry.

"Can we go _now_?" Sam asked plaintively, looking at Joe. "I’m afraid it’s something in the water." He eyed the other two men, shaking his head. "But thanks, Rowan. I’m sure I will have questions if this all turns out." He sighed.

"To get away from this?" Joe asked. "Yes!"

The water in the kettle began to boil, and Lucas poured it over the tea bag, handing the mug to Rowan before refilling his coffee cup and doing the same for the others. "The two of you aren’t going anywhere today. Storm’s coming in, so the roads are going to be closed pretty soon."

"I guess that means we’ve got more than enough time to get to know each other really well," Rowan grinned evilly. "Truth or dare, anyone?"

Starting to look hunted, Sam darted a desperate glance at Joe. "Are they serious?" Even he wasn’t sure whether he was referring to the impending storm or Rowan’s suggestion.

Letting go of Sam’s hand to look out the window at the leaden sky and already swirling snow, Joe nodded. "About the storm, yes. About the other..." He glanced at Rowan, studying him carefully. "Probably yes too. What I’d suggest, however, is grabbing some things and heading over to the main house. If we’re going to be trapped somewhere for a few days, it’s safer there than here." He glanced at his brother and his lover and smirked. "Especially with these two cornballs."

"Chicken," Lucas chuckled. "You just don’t want Sam to know the truth about you."

Sam snorted but otherwise ignored Lucas for the moment. "I’m going to have to borrow some clothes then... and isn’t that going to look interesting," he chuckled, eyeing Joe’s heavier frame. "But I don’t usually bring a change of clothes when I go out for dinner." Things had moved quickly since he met Joe the previous day, but he wouldn’t change a thing... except maybe Lucas. He snickered but refused to explain why despite the others’ quizzical gazes.

"Oi, who are you calling a cornball, fruitcake?" Rowan retorted, glaring at Joe over the rim of his cup. "And if I were him, _I_ wouldn’t want Sam to know the truth either. Might just scare him away or make him laugh so hard he’d piss himself. I think we need to have Mari tell stories again," the older man continued with an evil grin. "After all, her stories told me ever so much about you."

"Eva will have plenty," Lucas smirked. "Revenge is sweet, something you should remember next time we visit jolly old England, Ro."

Ignoring the other two, Joe walked behind Sam to kiss the top of his head. "The sweats fit you fine last night, and we aren’t that different in size. Shirts, socks and underwear will fit no matter what." He grinned. "Unless you want to go commando."

"Well, it does make for easier access," Sam chuckled, standing and turning to slide his arms around Joe’s waist and claim a proper kiss. When he finally drew back, lips moist and swollen, he licked them sensually before smiling. "Mmmm, even better than coffee for perking a guy up."

"Ahem!" Rowan cleared his throat loudly. "As interesting a show as this is, do you mind not making me heave this early in the morning?" the Brit continued, making gagging noises. "Disgusting, that, snogging in front of guests."

Keeping his arms looped around Sam’s waist, Joe smirked over at the Englishman. "Like you and the runt haven’t done that and more in front of us."

"And we will again." Lucas laughed, threading his fingers through Rowan’s hair and drawing his head back for a kiss.

"Besides, you’re not guests, you’re family," Sam replied sweetly, pulling Joe into another kiss and ignoring the other couple in favor of his lover.

Flipping the couple across from him off yet again, Rowan concentrated on the warm, mobile lips moving over his and the tongue thrusting in and out of his mouth. Only when he absolutely had to breathe did Rowan finally break the kiss off.

"Fucking weather," he groused miserably. "I wanted to play pounce the snow leopard later on today. I still owe you for those three days I walked bowlegged, you know," the older man sighed, pressing his forehead against Luke’s.

"Never thought I’d love shifting as much as I do or making out when I’m shifted. Or when you’re shifted and I’m not or vice versa. Oh sod this, we still have enough time with fur on, don’t we?" Rowan asked plaintively.

Releasing Joe’s mouth again, Sam looked over at the other couple. "That’s all very interesting—actually it is, and I’m going to have questions about that for you, Rowan, _later_--but right now would you please get the hell out of here so we can get another round in before we have to go up to the main house?!"

Trying not to burst out laughing, Lucas set his mug in the sink and grabbed Rowan’s arm, pulling him from the chair. "Plenty of time for show and tell later. C’mon, Ro, I’ll let you chase me up a tree and have your wicked way with me."

Waiting until the other men were gone, Joe sighed and gave Sam a sheepish smile. "I thought it would be better if Rowan was here. Guess I was wrong."

"No, I liked him. I just like you better, and if we have to go up to your folks’ place and behave decently, I want to feel you in me again first." Sam rubbed against him, groaning as their growing erections glided against one another through the barrier of their sweats.

"Damn, what a horrible thing to have to do," Joe murmured, sliding his hands under Sam’s sweats and cupping his ass, pulling them closer. "And don’t worry. Even if we’re stuck in the house, we’ve all pretty much got our own wings, so we’ll have privacy."

"Oh, well, in that case should I go get Lucas and Rowan back?" Sam teased, laughing when Joe growled at him. "Guess not," he chuckled, then moaned when Joe moved his hips. His back arched to press closer, and his head fell back, offering his throat to the other man.

"I don’t think you’re quite ready to watch a couple of leopards fucking on the floor." As Joe spoke, he bit his way down Sam’s throat, managing at the same time to walk them back toward the bedroom. "Or any of the other combinations they can get into."

"Mmm, kinky," Sam mumbled, much more interested in Joe just then than anyone else, regardless of form or kink. "We’ll have to try that sometime."

"Mmmhmm," Joe murmured, slowly sliding to his knees, nipping at Sam’s chest as he went, his hands pushing the younger man’s sweats out of the way as well. "Eventually." That said, he sucked Sam’s cock into his mouth, suckling hungrily, one hand tugging at his balls while the other tweaked a nipple.

Sam didn’t say anything else, being more concerned with whimpering and moaning, his whole focus on his chest and groin where Joe was working on him. His fingers combed through the other man’s light hair, curving around his skull to hold him close while Sam’s back arched involuntarily.

Purring out his own satisfaction, Joe took Sam deeper, swallowing to massage the head of Sam’s cock with his throat even as he slid his hand back, tracing one finger over the tight ring of muscle behind his balls.

His hips thrusting involuntarily, Sam tried to still himself so as not to choke him, but Joe simply encouraged him, so he let himself go. Groaning hungrily, he thrust forward into the wet heat of Joe’s mouth then back against that teasing finger, wanting something inside him.

Bringing his finger up to his mouth, Joe wet it without stopping what he was doing, then pressed it inside Sam’s body, closing his eyes and relaxing his throat to allow Sam to take his mouth.

Sam cried out when Joe’s finger pushed into him, moving faster now, his climax so close he could taste it. Every breath was a whine of desperation, and his fingers were clenched in the blond’s hair when Joe’s name suddenly escaped through gritted teeth, and he convulsed, coming in Joe’s mouth.

Pulling back so that he didn’t swallow any of Sam’s semen, Joe spat it out into his free hand and slicked up his aching cock. That done, he urged Sam down to the floor on his hands and knees and crowded up behind him.

"Mmm, I’m dying to be in you, Sam," he purred, pressing forward into the tight sheath, one hand curving around Sam’s body to pluck at a nipple.

"God yes," Sam gasped, thrusting back, groaning as he felt Joe against him. "Now, Joe, gods, please, in me _now_." He arched his back more deeply, legs spreading wider, begging.

"Yes..." Joe hissed, sliding fully into Sam’s ass and plastering his chest down over the other man’s back, their hips rocking together as Joe fought the urge to shift and take him fully.

Sam felt Joe’s tension and remembered some of the things Rowan had said earlier. He bit his lip, thinking about it, and decided that whether he was a shifter or not, he wanted _all_ of his lover. "Change. Let me know all of you," he gasped.

"Sam..." Joe gasped, wanting to ask if the other man knew what he was asking, then shuddering as Sam tightened around him, shredding the last of his control. Taking care to assure himself the his claws wouldn’t be anywhere near the other man’s body, Joe kissed his back, reached for his other self and changed.

Feeling the sudden change in Joe and the soft fur against his back, Sam gasped, his body tensing momentarily as his instincts screamed that a carnivore was on top of him. An instant later the tension changed as the pleasure spread through him and he remembered that this was _Joe_. "God, yes," he moaned, back arching and legs spreading wider as he gave himself to him, groaning at the sensual feel of Joe’s pelt against his skin.

Joe snarled deep in his throat and thrust faster into the tight heat of Sam’s body, his lover’s acquiescence arousing him even further. He looped his front paws around Sam’s shoulders and flicked his tongue over his ear, hearing as well as feeling the gasp that produced.

The raspy sensation of the cat’s tongue on his flesh made Sam cry out, his body shuddering with pleasure. Heat and weight and the softness of fur and the knowledge of teeth and claws so near his vulnerable body simply increased his enjoyment of the unique feelings he was experiencing. Whining hungrily, he thrust back to take Joe deeper even as he rubbed his cheek against the fur covering the paw over his shoulder, and he groaned, "Love you," his body tightening.

Joe shuddered at the low-voiced admission. Vowing to answer it with his own declaration as soon as he was able, he hugged Sam tighter with his paws, circling his hips faster until he came with a raspy snarl.

Teetering on the edge, Sam toppled over when he felt Joe come. He cried out sharply as his body tightened and shook with the force of his climax, the furry body draped over him incredibly erotic. Collapsing to the mattress and grunting with the weight of the cat on top of him, he turned his head slightly to the side, looking at Joe.

"Wow. That was... wild. And no, I don’t have a thing for animals, just for you, whatever shape you happen to be wearing."

Resisting the urge to lick Sam’s nose, Joe changed back, curling around the younger man’s body more closely as he did so. "Glad to hear that. Wouldn’t want you trying to jump a real lynx out in the woods."

"Ha ha. I’d smack you, but I feel too good to move," Sam mumbled. "And I never realized how sensual fur feels against skin. Of course, it helps that it’s you," he admitted, smiling at Joe. "So, if I’m really like you, we can do that the other way around some time?"

"Damn right we can!" Joe exclaimed, almost purring at the thought of Sam taking him in cat form. "Although if you’re tiny like my dad is, that could be a challenge."

"I refuse to be smaller than your pushy brother. I want to sit on him!" Sam grumbled even though Lucas was starting to grow on him, not that he’d ever admit it to the other man. "So... what do I have to do to be... triggered?" he asked, swallowing nervously.

"No hurting the runt," Joe sighed, shaking his head. "And I guess we need to talk to Grams. She’s our mystic, and she’s the one who gets people ready to be triggered - sort of getting you in touch with your inner self."

"Aw, I wouldn’t hurt him. I kinda like him when he’s not trying to boss you around... but if you ever tell him that, you’re gonna be celibate for a month!" Sam laughed. "So, is she gonna be up at the house too when we go, which we probably ought to do pretty soon, judging by the way the wind’s howling out there? I’m still having some trouble believing it, but yeah, I want to try. I want to be your mate in every way possible."

"You already are," the older man said simply, leaning in to kiss Sam then rolling to his feet, stretching and groaning as he did so. "Let’s hop in the shower here, grab some stuff and head over." He turned and started toward the bathroom but looked back over his shoulder. "A month being celibate? Yeah, like that’s gonna happen."

Sam stuck his tongue out but didn’t argue since he didn’t want to find himself in the position of having to make good on the threat. He’d only just found Joe, and he wanted to enjoy him, not become best friends with his hand because of some stupid, prideful comment. "If we hop in that shower together, we’re unlikely to get out of here any time soon," he pointed out as he got up, also stretching and moaning happily as his spine cracked.

"Damn, I love your faith in me, Sam, but even I need a rest every once in a while." Joe walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, glancing out of the small window after he did so. "Whiteout already, we’ll have to be careful walking over."

Sam nodded. "It would be really stupid to get ourselves killed in the few yards between the houses at this point. I plan to have a very long and energetic life with you." He followed Joe into the shower, sighing contentedly when the hot water hit him. "God, that feels good," he moaned, letting it pound into him.

Grabbing the soap and beginning to wash himself, Joe nodded. "Yeah, it does. You okay otherwise? Not too sore?"

Sam shrugged. "A bit of course. I don’t normally get fucked by a lynx," he chuckled. "But in a good way. I like it." He reached up for Joe’s shampoo, knowing that he needed to wash the sweat and come out of his hair before it drove him nuts.

Joe chuckled a bit. "Well, I promise you can do the same to me whenever you like, okay?"

"Even if I turn out to be some tiny little thing smaller than a housecat?" Sam teased, grinning. "Sounds like gerbilling, which isn’t my thing." He wrinkled his nose.

"Pervert," Joe laughed, smacking Sam’s hip. "In that case, you can just rub your furry self all over me."

"Mmm, I think I’ll do that no matter what I turn out to be. I _loved_ the way your fur felt on me. Sometime I’m going to get off like that, just rubbing my cock into your belly fur."

"Mmm, like I mind that thought." Joe tangled a hand in Sam’s dark hair and pulled him in for a kiss. "Now come on, gotta get over to the main house before they come looking for us."

"God, no more interruptions by your family," Sam groaned before kissing him back. "Okay, quick shower, then up to face the family. God, I’m too old for this shit," he sighed.

"Hey, you’ve met Eva, Luke and Rowan, and Rob’s probably at the sheriff’s office, so he won’t be around. That leaves Mom, Dad, Gram and Gramps, Mari and Amy. Not bad at all."

"I feel like I’m picking you up to go the senior prom and being vetted by the family," Sam sighed. "And you wanna know the worst part? I don’t even mind since it means I get you."

"Trust me, you’ll survive. I have faith in you." Kissing Sam again, Joe waited until they were both rinsed off, then turned off the water. "I’ll find you some more clothes too."

"Yeah, I doubt nudity would enhance your folks’ first impression of me." Sam toweled off and eyed his clothes with displeasure. "I really need to get my stuff whenever I can."

"I dunno, they might like it, but it would be damn cold getting over to the main house," Joe laughed as he finished drying off. "Once the roads are passable, we’ll grab your gear."

"Gee thanks. I think I’ll keep the nakedness for when it’s just us if it’s all the same to you." He sighed, eyeing his lover. "I’m gonna swim in anything of yours. I’ll look like a little kid playing dress up."

Joe looked at the other man incredulously. "Sam, there’s not _that_ much difference in our sizes. Drawstring sweats will work, and so will everything else."

"Okay, okay, so I like to dress well," Sam muttered. "I hate baggy clothes. What of it?"

"Nothing," Joe laughed. "I like the idea of you in skintight jeans and a second skin t-shirt myself."

"Likewise, lover. But for now, sweats and your t-shirts will do. Winter is definitely not the right time for _au naturel_." He grinned. "Besides, this way the laundry’s all yours."

Joe flicked out the towel he was holding, catching Sam on the ass. "Earn your keep, boy!" he laughed.

"I thought I did that in bed," Sam snickered. "You mean you want more? Gee, talk about inflation."

"A fuck doesn’t buy you what it used to," Joe said, shaking his head sadly even as he grabbed clothes for both of them out of his drawers.

"Asshole." Sam picked up a pillow and tossed it at him before grabbing the clothes. "I may have to rethink this and see if Eva’ll give me another chance. Or maybe Rowan’d like to trade."

Joe shrugged, though a feral light glowed deep in his blue eyes. "She’s my twin; I can’t deny her anything, but I think you’d get tired of Luke bossing you around soon enough."

"Mmm, I like the way you look when you get jealous," Sam purred, smirking. "And I’m sure Pushy and I could come to an agreement... probably involving duct tape," he admitted with a laugh.

"You make him get his hair cut because you got tape in it, and Rowan would kill you."

Sam laughed again. "Look at my own hair and tell me if I’d cause someone to cut his? And I have to admit to sympathy for Rowan’s position. Luke does have gorgeous hair. Speaking of, should I dry mine before we go? Pneumonia isn’t in my plans."

Reaching into the bathroom closet, Joe took out another towel. "Dry away, and don’t say I didn’t warn you if Rowan tries to tear a bite out of your butt if you try to touch Luke’s hair."

"I think I can make do with yours, lover. I happen to like your whole package."

"So I don’t have to grow my hair? I tried it once, and I looked like the comedian with the mullet."

"Ewww. How ‘bout we let me take care of the hair in this relationship? I don’t think I could have sex with someone who looked like that."

Joe sighed. "And here I thought you said you liked the whole package."

"I do, just the way it is," Sam chuckled, toweling his hair vigorously. "So let’s not cover it in bad hair."

"Good idea, now dry that mane of yours and get dressed so we can head over. Mom always makes chili first day of a storm like this, and I want to get there before the corn bread’s all gone."

"Chili and corn bread? To hell with my hair!" Sam toweled it once more, combed it out, braided it, and hopped to his feet. "Let’s go."

Joe chuckled even as he pulled on a sweater and zipped up the bag he’d packed. "The way to a man’s heart and all that. Come on, Sam, grab your jacket and let’s git."

"Right behind you, lover," Sam replied, grabbing for his jacket and stepping into his boots. "Lead me to the food." He took hold of Joe’s hand, not wanting to become separated in the near whiteout conditions outdoors.

***

"There’s no need to be nervous," Cecilia San Gabriel, Joe’s grandmother and the pride’s mystic, said, her voice low and soothing in the quiet room. "Once you open yourself to what your body can do, it will come naturally."

Swallowing hard, Sam closed his eyes and tried to find the place inside himself where his other form lay, but he was still having trouble believing it. Then he reminded himself of Joe and the beautiful cat that he became, and he felt something shift inside himself, making him gasp. His eyes flew open fearfully, seeing Gram, and he wished it could be Joe there with him, but his mate was waiting for him outside, waiting for him to join him. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes again and reached inside, feeling something start to wake within him.

He concentrated on the strange sensation, Cecilia’s voice vanishing from his consciousness, and his body... rippled. When he opened his eyes again, they widened as he found himself much lower to the ground. Looking down, he saw two massive paws, and when he raised one and flexed it, claws slid out of their sheaths.

He took a tentative step and almost fell on his face, his center of gravity completely different from what he was used to. He mewed with embarrassment, darting a glance at the elderly lady watching him closely.

Reaching out a hand to steady the massive white Siberian tiger now standing before her, she chuckled quietly, holding Sam’s face between her palms, careful not to bend his whiskers. "No need to worry about being smaller than Lucas in this form, dear. I’d say you’re the largest of the bunch of us.

"Now go on out and greet your pride. Just take it one foot at a time, and you’ll be fine."

Sam licked her hand in gratitude, the cat’s instincts already letting him know what was proper, then slowly paced toward the wide-open doors to meet his lover and family. Seeing them, he headed straight for Joe, though not without throwing a smug glance at the snow leopard that was Lucas. His tail swishing lazily, he joined his mate, rubbing along his sides, his head butting him as he greeted him for the first time as a cat.

Chuffing out a laugh at Lucas’ almost shocked expression, then giving a throaty purr as he acknowledged just how beautiful Sam was in this form, Joe stretched up to rub muzzles with Sam, licking his head and pacing alongside his body to rub down his whole length.

By the time he got back to Sam’s head, the others were greeting him as well, Mari being the most enthusiastic as she threw her arms around his neck, earning herself a glare from their father for coming to the ceremony when she wasn’t old enough to shift.

Sam maneuvered between Mari and her father, his huge black and white head rubbing against her belly and making her laugh while he purred. He’d adopted the younger girl as his own baby sister the moment they’d met, and he often distracted her father’s displeasure from her. He knew she had him twisted around her little finger, but he didn’t mind at all. He had a family again, one who understood him, and he loved them all. Even Lucas.

Pulling away from Mari’s petting fingers, he paced over to Luke and rubbed muzzles with him, then suddenly swung his hindquarters, knocking him over into a snow bank. Playful laughter clear in his eyes, he leaped away, only to trip over his own feet and go down in a spectacular somersault that had him sitting up and shaking snow from dazed eyes a moment later.

The snow leopard’s shoulders shook with laughter at the sight of the huge tiger falling ass over tea kettle, but he took pity on Sam and didn’t pounce him - until he had blinked the snow from his face anyway.

The others took this as a sign to join in, and soon a tiger, two lynxes, a clouded leopard, a snow leopard, a cougar, and a small girl were all playing in the open field while the elders watched in amusement.

Sam joined in happily, occasionally slipping and falling as he got used to this new form, but he was having fun with the others and loved every moment of it... especially the one where he dodged a lunge from Lucas that had the snow leopard colliding with an evergreen and getting its load of snow dumped on him from the shaken branches. Chuffing out a laugh, he didn’t notice Rowan sneaking up behind him, and he yowled in surprise when the clouded leopard knocked a pile of snow on him in return.

Not used to this, he grew tired before the others and drew closer to Joe, rubbing against his mate and purring suggestively.

Sending his twin tumbling away with a hip check, Joe promptly ignored the rest of his family and concentrated on his mate, pressing against him and nudging him toward the deeper woods where they could have privacy.

Eager to experience everything, Sam followed him without demur, his striped tail lashing lazily as he disappeared from sight, not caring if everyone knew what they were going to do. He glanced inquisitively at the smaller cat, not sure which direction to go.

Purring throatily, Joe led Sam to a sheltered area in the woods where the biting winds wouldn’t reach them in whatever form they chose. Winding back and forth in front of Sam, Joe brought him to a stop and licked his ear again before shifting.

Shivering in the chill, he looked at Sam lovingly. "God, you look amazing," he murmured, resting a hand on his mate’s broad head. "I just wanted to check what you wanted to do, babe. You want me, I’m all for it. Want me to take you, that’s doable too, but it might take some maneuvering - you’re big!"

Sam shifted back as well, a small part of his mind amazed at how easy it was. "Want to take you this time, the way you’ve taken me. Well, both cats, don’t want you to freeze to death. We can figure out the logistics of everything else later. Right now I just want to claim my mate," he breathed, kissing Joe and then shifting back, much preferring the thick fur in this weather.

Laughing as he found himself flat on his back under a tiger, Joe nodded, flipping over and shifting at the same time, arching his back to rub up against Sam’s belly in invitation.

Sam roared, the sound startling him as he pressed forward against his mate, his cock beginning to slid out of its sheath as his arousal grew. He rubbed against the other cat, purring contentedly, realizing that he was enough larger than his mate that Joe could simply crouch under him and not have to support his weight on his back. He thrust forward, cock gliding against his lover, then again and again until they moved and got the angle right, allowing him to push inside Joe for the first time this way.

Joe yowled as he was impaled by a seemingly huge cock, and he dug his claws into the frozen ground to keep from skidding forward as Sam’s weight plowed into him. He felt his body relax to accept the huge shaft and managed a ragged purr as he arched back, wanting Sam to move.

Sam had waited to pause, to give Joe time to grow accustomed to him, but the moment he felt his mate thrust back, he lost all control. He pushed forward, yowling with pleasure at the tight heat surrounding him, and pulled back so he could repeat the motion, purrs and cries of pleasure escaping with every thrust.

Panting harshly, feeling his own cock slide from its sheath as he grew aroused, Joe twisted his hips, feeling as well as hearing Sam growl at the motion.

Sam thrust harder, unable to resist, and he bit down on the back of Joe’s neck, careful not to harm him but needing to mark his mate as _his_. His hips hammered back and forth, and his claws flexed in the cold ground and snow as the sensations began to overwhelm him.

Unable to do anything except cling to the ground to keep from being shoved along it, Joe shuddered when he felt Sam’s teeth pierce his skin at the nape of his neck. That show of dominance did him in, and he came, trembling under the bulk of the larger cat.

Feeling the spasms rippling around him was the last thing needed to tip Sam over the edge into orgasm, and he climaxed hard, releasing Joe’s neck to roar as he shuddered with pleasure, the noise echoing through the forest and causing birds to fly from the trees and other animals to grow silent at the sound of the predator.

Gasping for breath as Sam had collapsed on top of him after coming, the smaller feline squirmed, knowing his mate didn’t want to hurt him but needing to breathe nonetheless.

Joe’s squirming and breathless panting finally registered on Sam’s passion-dazed brain, and he rolled aside, flopping to his belly at Joe’s side, nuzzling and licking him while purring happily. That had been the most incredible sensation of his life.

Moving a little stiffly, Joe curled up against Sam’s side, knowing his siblings were going to laugh their asses off about this when they saw him. He groaned to himself and rested his head on Sam’s shoulder, napping for a bit.

Sam curled around his smaller mate, feeling rather smug about his size in this form, and decided that a nap was a very good idea.

***

Waking a bit later, as he could tell by the length of the shadows, Sam nudged Joe awake and rose to his feet, all four of them, stretching the kinks out. He made a inquiring sound, not sure which direction to go to get back to the house since he hadn’t really been paying attention to anything but Joe on the way out.

The moment he started to move, Joe knew he was in trouble, and he winced as each shift reminded him that he had recently been taken dry by a really big cat. Getting to his feet without arousing too much suspicion from Sam, he oriented himself and nudged his mate in the direction of the compound, hoping he didn’t want to run because that just wasn’t happening.

Not realizing anything was wrong, Sam padded along in the direction Joe indicated, happy to walk and look around since he’d missed everything on the way out. Seeing that Joe was falling behind, he paused and looked back, chuffing a question.

Joe shifted again, finding himself unable to contain a wince as he straightened up. "I’m fine, Sam. Just a little sore is all. Nothing that a few days and some shifting won’t cure - and if you say you’re sorry, I’ll tie a knot in your tail, got it?"

Seemingly satisfied with the look on his mate’s face, he changed back and walked up beside Sam, still moving slowly.

Sam shifted as well, eying his mate unhappily. "Fine, I won’t say I’m sorry since I’m not for what I did even if I don’t like what you’re feeling now... but I will say that next time, you’d damned well better prepare yourself first," he growled. "I don’t like seeing you hurt." That said, he sighed. "But I loved it, thank you." And he shifted back to cat form and started walking again.

Shaking his head, Joe tried to walk a little faster and caught up with his mate, rubbing along the larger feline’s side as they headed back to the compound. It was going to be a long soak in the bath for him tonight.

Sam purred as Joe pressed against him, his tail curling over his Joe’s back as they walked back. He was going to enjoy pampering Joe tonight, and nothing the other man could say would change that. As they neared their home, he saw that the others had disappeared, and he was glad of this time alone together. He nudged Joe toward the door, rowling at him, then shifted to open it and let them in.

"Come on, lover, we both need a soak in hot water."

Changing as well once he was inside the cottage, Joe straightened up, unable to silence his groan as he did so. "Yeah, we do - or I do anyway. Damn, you’re a big boy." He smiled back at Sam as he said this, not wanting the other man to regret having taken him like that.

Sam just grinned, his worries already taken care of by their earlier conversation. "Aren’t you lucky?" he purred. "We’ll just be careful about lube in future. And may I say that was _fun_!"

"Damn silly, dommy tiger," Joe chuckled, sliding his arms around his mate’s waist and hugging him. "I love you."

"Love you too. Hmmm, we’ll have to get Eva to get a picture of us as cats," he mused. "I want that one for my wallet. And now that I’ve done this," he added in a lightning change of subject, "we need to go visit my mom. Soon."

Joe nodded. "I keep saying, whenever you want to go, we’ll go. It might keep you and Lucas alive a while longer too."

Sam snickered. "I wouldn’t kill him. Might sit on him and squish him a little though," he said with an evil grin. "As for Mom, think you’ll be up to sitting on a plane by tomorrow, or should we wait a couple of days?"

"Oh fuck," Joe groaned at the thought of being stuck in an airplane seat for a couple of hours in his current condition. "Umm, we may need to wait a few days. We heal fast and all, but damn!"

Sam manfully smothered his laugh. "Next week then? We could bring a donut for your poor, abused ass if you like." He made sure he was out of reach as he added the last.

Joe snarled and narrowed his eyes at that poor joke. "Keep it up and that’s the closest you’ll be getting to my ass for a long time."

"I think we’d better stick to you getting my ass for a while, lover. Amusing as this is, I prefer you not be in pain." Sam moved closer to kiss him lightly.

"I have to agree, babe. Next time, we get me ready first, in whatever form." Joe reached down and patted Sam’s butt. "And like I mind getting up close and personal with this fine thing."

Sam wriggled for him. "Well, why don’t we go fill that massive tub of yours with hot water and oil, and then you can slip into it and me?"

Joe chuckled softly as they headed toward the bathroom. "If my hips will work."

"Poor baby," Sam crooned, "did I wear you out? Don’t worry, if it’s too much for you, you can just lie there and let me do all the work. I assure you that my hips are working just fine."

"Keep it up, big shot, and you won’t be getting near any part of me for a long time," Joe laughed, reaching to turn on the water and cursing under his breath as that pulled sore muscles.

"As if. I’d just have to smile at Eva, and you’d get all growly and possessive and throw me against the nearest wall," Sam retorted. "Which is just the way I like it."

"Don’t even think about it." Joe narrowed his eyes and glared at Sam. "Now get the oils so I can relax my poor, abused ass in this water. "

Laughing, Sam saluted him and squatted down to pull the oil out of the cabinet beneath the sink. He pressed a kiss to Joe’s shoulder in apology as he leaned past, pouring a generous amount into the steaming water, wanting to sooth Joe as much as possible. "In," he ordered.

"And you call Lucas pushy," Joe murmured under his breath as he climbed into the sunken tub, hissing as he slid down to sit in the steaming water.

"Lucas tries to push everyone around. I just take care of you when you forget to." Sam stuck his tongue out at his lover then followed him into the tub, sighing happily as the hot water enveloped him. "Oh god, I could love you for this tub alone."

"I feel so appreciated," Joe murmured, relaxing back against the neckrest behind him and sighing as the hot water enveloped him.

"You should, you are. Heck even Lucas cares; I just disagree with his methods of showing it at times." Sam reached for the body sponge and squirted some soap into it, then started washing Joe.

Joe shrugged, even as he groaned as Sam washed him. "He’s the runt; he’s allowed."

"Not with _my_ mate he isn’t!" Sam growled, leaning in to place a possessive kiss on Joe’s lips. "He can boss Rowan around... till that crazy Englishman puts him back in his place."

"Okay, only you can boss me around... tiger," Joe smiled slightly at the last.

"Awwww." Sam grinned at him. "But that’s fair since you get to boss me around too." He slid the sponge lower, stroking over Joe’s groin, a wicked smile curving the corners of his mouth.

The blond opened one eye to peer at Sam. "And exactly what are you planning on doing with that?"

"Well, first I thought I’d get it hard, then I thought I’d ride it till it was soft again."

"Ahhh, just checking. Go right ahead."

"So glad my plan meets with your approval," Sam purred, amused. He dropped the sponge in the water, letting it float away while his now empty hand curved over the growing flesh between Joe’s legs, stroking him. "I aim to please, after all."

Joe chuckled quietly, resting his arms along the rim of the tub and letting Sam do as he pleased. "Just don’t go shifting in here; don’t want to be mopping gallons of water off the floor."

Sam made a face. "I don’t even want to think about all that wet fur. Besides, I don’t think the logistics would work. Though the mental image of you trying to balance a tiger riding your cock is fairly amusing." One hand still petting Joe, the other reached back to prepare himself, the oil in the water sufficiently slicking him, but he needed to open himself up.

"Tigers like water, you nut," Joe murmured, concentrating more on what his lover was doing than what he was saying at this point.

"Probably lakes more than hot tubs," Sam pointed out before he stopped talking and simply sat on Joe’s lap, groaning as he impaled himself on the rigid cock. "Oh yeah, you feel so good inside me, lover."

"Feel pretty damn good around me," Joe sighed, sliding his arms into the water and his hands onto Sam’s hips, wincing slightly when he moved a bit too much.

"Convenient, eh?" Sam smiled, then frowned at Joe’s grimace of discomfort. "Sit still and let me do the work. I’ll prove just how pushy I can be." He licked at Joe’s lips, his hips rocking languorously, then gradually increasing their speed as he reveled in the sensation of riding Joe.

Joe chuckled quietly. "I’m quite aware of that fact, though just keep up what you’re doing; it feels amazing."

"Yeah, it does," Sam moaned, his back arching and his hands reaching up to tease his own nipples, eyes half-closed in pleasure. "Wish we could stay like this forever."

"Might get a little wrinkled and cramped eventually." Joe reached out and wrapped a hand around Sam’s erection, pumping it slowly.

"And Lucas and/or Rowan would walk in on us," Sam sighed, then gasped, his back arching more as he thrust into Joe’s hand, then pulled back to take his cock deeper. "Love your hands," he panted, lightly scratching his nipples then doing the same to Joe.

"Love everything about you. My mate," Joe sighed, shuddering as Sam’s hands played over his chest. "Even the fact that you’d kill Luke and Rowan for doing that."

Sam laughed breathlessly but didn’t deny it. Groaning, he arched back again, his hair trailing in the water, then straightened and took Joe’s mouth, his tongue eagerly pushing inside.

Joe wanted to move, but he knew that doing that would lead to more aches and pains, so he held himself still, kissing Sam hungrily and stroking his cock to return the pleasure he was feeling.

Moving faster, now almost slamming up and down, as much as possible in the water’s buoyancy, Sam moaned into the kiss, his ass clenching around Joe as he neared his climax. Wanting to bring Joe with him, he rubbed and tugged at the hard nipples beneath his fingers.

"Sam..." the blond groaned, sitting up enough to catch his lover’s mouth, kissing him hungrily as his body tightened and he came, flooding Sam with his seed.

Sam gasped, feeling the heat fill him, and he rose and fell only a few more times before he gasped Joe’s name and his seed flowed into and dissipated in the hot water.

Collapsing back against the side of the tub, Joe smiled, feeling as if all his bones had turned to rubber. "Now we have to take another bath."

Sam laughed. "Hate to tell you this, but we’re still in this one. And I’m fairly certain that the water outweighs the come by enough that we’re still pretty clean. Fool."

Joe managed to move his hand and splash Sam in the face with a small wave. "For that you can carry me to bed, oh dommy one."

"Good thing I have that shifter strength thing going on then," Sam laughed. "Or I could shift again, and you could ride me." He grinned wickedly. "Would you like that, Joe, feeling my fur against you, your cock and balls and nipples rubbing into it with every step I took?"

"If you think I’m going to get turned on thinking about that after what we just did, you’re seriously mistaken," Joe chuckled. "Another time though..."

"Whenever you like," Sam grinned. "I’m not going anywhere. Man, that sounds weird, but I like it." He leaned in for another kiss, careful to keep his lower body still so Joe wouldn’t slip out of him yet.

"If you decided to, I’d track you down and drag you back, and the family would help."

"Should I expect a collar and tags next?" Sam laughed, not sounding worried.

"Yup," Joe nodded agreeably, "and my name tattooed on your butt as well."

"Kinky," Sam approved. "Just remember, what goes around, comes around. I think my name would like very nice on your ass and a big ‘mine’ and an arrow pointing at your dick."

Joe winced. "Just so long as the arrow isn’t _on_ my dick."

"Don’t think I didn’t consider it, but then I wouldn’t get to play for too long."

"Thank God! First you put my ass out of commission, then my dick - I’d start to wonder." Joe’s grin as he said this proved how little he minded the first part of his comment.

"Don’t think a simple thing like a tattoo is going to keep me away from this cute ass," Sam snorted. "I’d just have to be careful about _how_ I fucked you." He grinned toothily. "Might need some kind of donut after all."

"So fucking considerate..." Joe shook his head and shifted when his lower back twinged. "And I hate to say it, but I might be needing that donut or at least to get horizontal on the bed for a while."

Realizing how long they’d been in the tub, Sam scrambled up, apologizing. "Sorry, Joe, you distracted me with this gorgeous bod. Can’t blame a guy for that, right?" He got out, then offered Joe a hand.

Standing carefully, Joe got his feet under him, then pretended to flex his muscles. "I know, I’m a stud."

"Oh god, next time Lucas starts in on you, I may let him," Sam snorted. "That ego needs a few punctures."

"Yeah, like that’ll ever happen." Joe climbed out of the tub and grabbed a couple of towels from the bar, tossing one to Sam before beginning to dry himself off.

"Okay, next time _Eva_ does, I’ll just sit back and enjoy the show," Sam chuckled, admitting wordlessly that Joe was right; he’d never be able to sit quietly around Lucas. Toweled off quickly, he enjoyed watching Joe, who was moving a bit more slowly thanks to his aches.

"Great, I’m in love with a dommy sadist," Joe grumbled, tossing the towel in the hamper and walking back into the bedroom, wanting to get in bed before his muscles tightened up again.

"Nope, just someone who grew up with siblings too," Sam snickered. "Watching you and Eva is fun.

"For now though, lie down on your stomach. Did I mention that I’ve worked as a masseur too?"

"I can’t wait until Eva finds a mate of her own so I can torture her too." Joe climbed into the bed and settled on his stomach, pillowing his head on his arms. "And no, you didn’t. God, is there anything you haven’t done?"

"Hmm, well, you already know about the serial killer schtick," Sam chuckled, "so you know the interesting ones. I’ll let the others come up as appropriate. Gotta maintain that air of mystery after all," he simpered, trying not to laugh.

"Ass. Rub my back so I can go to sleep."

"Yes, master." Chuckling, Sam searched out the knots of tension and slowly worked them out, relaxing Joe until a soft snore let him know that he’d succeeded. Smiling fondly, he brushed a kiss over a shoulder blade, then carefully reached over to turn the light out before curling up beside his lover to get some sleep as well.


End file.
